A SPIRITUAL LESSON FROM A NATURAL INSECT

Practicing Observation Skills

The wise man, Solomon, observed the activities of ants and realized a lesson for life.  It is recorded in Proverbs 6:6-11. 

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?   A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.  Proverbs 6:6-11 (NLT)

It is so helpful to see the lessons built into the fabric of the cosmos.  Practicing observation of these little things can bring big insights.  Solomon practiced observation of ants.  But he didn’t stop at the conclusion that there were ants in the back yard, but went on to more.  We can do that too.  We can see the interconnectedness of nature and life skills.  For Solomon he saw the ants as workers.  Just working seems to be something that some people struggle with.

 But it is more than labor that he saw.  He noticed the ants had motivation within themselves to get up and get after it.  They didn’t need the pressure from someone telling them to get going they knew what needed to get done and they got themselves out there to do it.  The ants had a goal.  They worked in the summer in order to have food in winter.  They practiced discipline and as a result had food to keep them going all year long.  That is good stuff.  There may be some natural happenings around you that with some observation will reveal its lesson to you. 

Practicing Spiritual Skills

Solomon  asked, “How long will you sleep? When will you wake up?   A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”  He was pointing out the need to wake up for practical reasons and Paul in Ephesians five takes it a spiritual direction.    

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14 (NLT)

Is there a possible correlation?  Perhaps it is in the goal centered energy and effort illustrated by the ant which a Christian could copy?  A Christian who is spiritually asleep and is folding hands while doing nothing to move forward spiritually winds up with spiritual poverty.  That person is open to the losing even more to an armed robber.  Jesus says in John 10:10 the thief (Satan) has come to steal, kill and destroy. 

What could possible keep one of Christ’s own from working hard, digging deep into His truth, and seeking first God’s Kingdom?  Jesus said it this way:  The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.  Mark 4:18-19 (NLT)

Have you ever noticed “other things” entering in and distracting you from the things God has for you?

I have.  And I have heard people say things about not experiencing God the way they the Bible talks about it or the way they see others experiencing God.  But they have often been distracted by other things.  They are still napping when it is time to be busy about the Master’s business. 

“Awake,” Paul says.  Christ will indeed give light to the one who wakes up.  “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:10 (NLT)    It would seem finding out what pleases the Lord and doing it is key.  There will be more light for that person.  But what would that even look like?

Asking questions about interests, plans, time, and money could be a place to start.  Are my interests helping me pursue God?  Are my interests pleasing the Lord?  Are my interests crowding out God’s Word so that no fruit is produced?   What about my plans?  My time?  My money?

What kinds of things can I do to wake myself up spiritually?  What can I do keep the thorns from crowding out God’s Word in my life?  What can I do to enjoy more of Christ’s light each and every day and with increasing intensity?  The right answers to those questions followed by the right actions will please the Lord.  Maybe you could take a few minutes right now and ask the Lord to help you work on your answers.  Write them down.  Get to work on them.  Like the ants who need no supervisor to tell them what to do.  Just get busy doing what the Lord has for you knowing it will please Him and will be a blessing to you. 

-Thoughts for today, Randy