We are currently being invaded by these little creatures.  It seems that we have this problem every summer, especially when there’s an abundance of moisture – and we certainly have received more than a little rain this year.  It did get me to thinking though about how these miniature insects are geared to working in teams to get things done.  They seem to be able to overcome amazing odds and can carry more weight than you’d imagine.

 There are times in life when we are faced with difficulties.  It might look as though there is no answer and we give up.  We stop trying or we just get so worn out from trying that we pass out from exhaustion.

 “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?”  Proverbs 6:6-11

Ants don’t have a foreman or a boss  telling them what to do – they just do it.  They do out of necessity and follow their God given instincts to do.  They gather their food wherever they can.  When weather interferes, they find other sources.  When rain pushes their nests out of the ground and they are without a home – the build a new one.

What do we do in time of crisis or need?  Is our first inclination to turn to the Lord for help?  Most of the time, we try to figure things out for ourselves.  We are in control, after all … right?  Sometimes we ask others for help.  We may even turn to the government for assistance.  Those things aren’t bad in themselves, unless we grow dependent on them,

We are warned in this Proverb against being lazy.  Let me tell you, the ants in my kitchen are not in the least bit sluggards.  They are very busy and extremely fast.  It’s especially apparent when you place poison down to eliminate them.  They belly up to the bar and suck up as much as their itsy-bitsy bodies can hold and then scurry back to their buddies and share with them.  It may be a cruel thing to do to these smallest of God’s creatures, but I want my kitchen back!

There are so many lessons in these few verses, but I think one of the most important is that God doesn’t want us to depend on others for our sustenance.  He wants us to be industrious, like the ant, and to never give up – because even though our circumstances may seem overwhelming – He is always there to pick us up.