Lazy Richard, Wise Solomon, Hardworking Ant and God's Word

“You lazy fool, look at an ant.
Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two”
(Proverbs 6:6 The Message)

Today as I looked up at the blue-wanna-turn-to-dark sky, I saw an eagle.  The eagle looked strong and majesty. But then went I looked down, I saw an ant. There was this little ant that crawls busily about beneath my feet. It wanted to say something to me. I bend down and asked the little ant, “What is it, little thing?” Mr. Ant says… nothing.

After I went back home – a thought comes to mind: Yes! There are some wonderful lessons the ant want to teach me. I looked through the Bible and found out that the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, said something about this little insect, “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” (Proverbs 6:6NLT) or in case you might don’t get it, The Message made it simple and straightforward: “You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two”.

If we want to be wise, God says we must “look at an ant”. Look at God’s lowly little creation. God made them all, and He tells us to “watch it closely”. Maurice Meaterlinck writes, “Today it is accepted as proven that the ant is incontestably one of the noblest, most outrageous, most charitable, most devoted, most generous creatures on earth.”

What lessons did I learned from the ant?

1.      The ant looks ahead and prepares for the future (remember reading Belalang dan Semut children story?)

2.      The ant is always busy.

3.      The ant uses what God provides.

4.      The ant carries burdens many times his own weight (check your Science textbook),

5.      The ant is unselfish (Did you know that “some ants carry on their bodies a little sac they keep filled with honey-like substance which they generously share with the other ants”. I get this from National Geography website).

6.      The ants all work together to build their nests and gather their food.

7.      The ant is cared by God.

Aren’t you glad that God made the animals such as an ant to teach us lessons about life? When I remember back about the little ant that crawls busily about beneath my feet – I remember God’s Word: “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” I thank God for His reminder (“Richard, be wise”) and grateful for His loving-rebuke (‘Richard, don’t be lazy!) – As you finished reading this may you get the same ‘treatment’ as I do. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
Also read: The Ant Philosophy [CLICK HERE TO READ]