A Lesson From Ants
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?" - Proverbs 6:6-9
Ants are so small that often we step on them before we see them. Did you know that ant societies have a division of labor, communication between individuals, and an ability to solve complex problems? The key is, they work together. No matter what, they make certain the ant community has food so that it can sustain itself.
In our society we often lift up the individual, the one who has the ability to rise above others in storing up resources. But God created the ant to care for the whole and work hard for the community. Because it's priority is the need of the whole, these little creatures can accomplish feats of great strength and purpose, like building an ant bridge over a large span of water.
This proverb points us to the ant so that we might learn the importance of community; whether the human race or our faith community. This smallest of insects models selfless living, that in turn points us to Christ.
Today, invite others to work with you in building bridges of community. And while you are at it, thank God for the ants and what they can teach us.