Day 25 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Go to the Ant #1

Proverbs 6:6-8 [NKJV] 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, [And] gathers her food in the harvest.

How often have I heard this advice coming from a parent or preacher! It’s an easy subject to cover and one we get passionate about if we feel someone is not doing their part at home, school or church. “Go to the ant” is the “churchy” way of saying “don’t be lazy.”

But here is another lesson we can learn from ants: they are everywhere. Fire ants try to take over my yard every year, despite all my efforts to kill them all. Ants invade our picnics, even when we think we’ve setup dinner far away from them. Ants get into our homes and, once there, it is difficult to get rid of them. Leave a crumb out and they show up.

We believers are to be like ants in that way. We are to be everywhere – a constant presence in the world. We are to be working at spreading the Gospel every day, insidiously invading our schools, homes, offices, and every other human endeavor with God’s message of love, and with words and actions that spread God’s love to others.

Christianity itself spread across the globe like ants at a picnic after Jesus died. The efforts of the Roman government to stamp it out only resulted in spreading it to other parts of the world.

Eventually, we can look forward to this: Isaiah 11:9 [NKJV] They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Eventually, after Jesus returns to rule and reign on this earth, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the world like water in the sea.

For now, it is our job to spread it like hard-working ants, by showing love, mercy, faith and all the fruit of the Holy Spirit every day in every situation and by preaching the Gospel whenever the opportunity arises – never tiring, never giving up, unstoppable.

The world can try to poison us with its message of selfishness, but they won’t be able to do that. People may get tired of us always showing with hope and a hug. It might be annoying to some that you cannot be drawn into a fight but remain peaceful and respectful. Our unshakeable faith should show up in the midst of the biggest trials.

Go to the ants, my sisters, and bring the fruit of God’s Spirit, God’s word and an example of Jesus in how you live with you everywhere. Let’s invade the world like ants at a picnic.

Prayer — Father God, we can learn so much from your creation. Help me to learn the lesson of the ant, always working hard to set an example of Your love and mercy on this earth, taking every opportunity to preach the Gospel and do the work of the Kingdome. You have given me a job to do. Help me to work diligently at that job today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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