Animals of the Bible
3. The Ant – Working Busily
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways,
and be wise”
(Proverbs 6:6)
Image: bigfoto.com
What time did you get up today? And what have you been doing since you rose from your sleep? When we are young we may find the time long but when we grow older the hours go by very quickly. Job said that his days passed away “as the swift ships” and “as the eagle that hasteth to the prey” (Job 9:26). When we are older it can be difficult to find the time to do everything we ought to do!
As we grow up our personal habits develop. One habit which we can easily fall into is laziness. Matters like schoolwork, helping our parents or even tidying our room become chores to us. We get bored with our routine and begin to look for something more exciting. Then we start to neglect the important things.
Time is very precious and we should make the best use of whatever time God in his goodness grants us. There is a creature mentioned in the Bible which shows us how to spend our time wisely. The ant is so small that we may think nothing of it but that would be a big mistake. Ants may be “little upon the earth” but they can teach us great things about living life to the glory of God.
Ants are a type of insect. This means that their bodies are divided into a number of distinct segments. Firstly there is the head, with its jaws and antennae; then there is a thin section called the thorax to which the legs and sometimes wings are attached; and finally there is a broad section called the abdomen which contains the stomach.
There are thousands of ant species and they live almost everywhere, usually in large communities or ‘colonies’ which may contain millions of ants. On a walk in the country you may come across a small mound of earth, perhaps in long grass, and inside is a colony of ants. On a warm summer’s day the ant-hill will be alive with black, brown, red or yellow ants running over its surface.
Ants have many remarkable skills. A famous Roman named Cicero was so amazed at their apparent wisdom that he said that ants must have mind, reason and memory – just like us! Of course ants do not really possess these abilities yet it is nonetheless true that an ant colony is a kind of parable of the activities of men. Let us take a close look at this creature and “consider her ways.”
Firstly the ant is diligent. There are many different types of ant but they are all great workers. Some ants build wonderful houses, many stories high, with beautiful chambers, ceilings, columns and corridors. However the great task of the ants in any colony is to feed themselves. Here the ant is also very industrious. She “provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (v.8).
Ants have special ways of obtaining their food. Some ants form armies which launch attacks on larger insects and overcome them. Other ants raid neighbouring colonies and capture immature ants which then gather food for them. There are ants like the ‘leaf-cutter’ which cultivate underground ‘gardens’ where they grow fungus for food. There are even ants which keep ‘cows’! They collect a nutritious substance known as ‘honeydew’ from insects called aphids which suck the juices from plants.
The lesson is that we are to take our work very seriously, whatever it may be. Work is not a curse and should not be seen as a burden in itself. After all Adam had work to do in the garden of Eden before he sinned and fell (Gen.2:15).
Secondly the ant is dutiful. Though she has “no guide, overseer, or ruler” (v.7) she never slacks but is always attentive to her tasks. How unlike us! When we are aware of others watching over us then we may get busy to impress the viewers – but not otherwise!
What we need to remember is that there is One whose eye is constantly upon us, even when we are alone in this world. God is the ultimate Master whom we should seek to please in all our work. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col.3:23).
Finally the ant does not delay. “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer” (Prov.30:25). Many ants feed on seeds, removing the husks before placing the seeds in purpose-built storage chambers. Solomon had seen the ants gathering up grain when it was plentiful for a future time when it would be scarce.
There is no more needful use of our time than to spend it in seeking the Lord while he may be found. When people asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” his reply was a surprising and a humbling one. He said: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 7:28,29). This is our great work.
Have you been wasting your time in the service of sin? Then you need to recover it. There is only one way. You must repent of your sin and trust in the Saviour who died for sinners. Then you will know the reality of the Lord’s promise, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25). You will have received God’s wonderful gift – everlasting life!
