Ant Lessons

We tend to remember where we were and what we were doing on days of special significance. For example, most of us remember where we were when we heard that Elvis had died (or John Lennon or John Kennedy, depending on your age).

For pastors, most of us remember where we were and what we were doing the day we learned that the IRS considers us "self-employed." I remember the day well. I stared at the guy and said, "Are you crazy? Is the IRS crazy? 'Self-employed' implies that you are your own boss. Nothing could be further from the truth!" At the time, I had about one hundred bosses, who had one hundred different ideas about what I should be doing each day!

We're all accountable, in one way or another, to someone else for the job that we do. Solomon tells us there is a lesson we can learn from the ant. He doesn't have anyone looking over his shoulder, no Committee or Senior Pastor watching his every step, yet he gets done what needs to be done.

Why? Because the ant, by nature, doesn't allow himself to get sidetracked; he has a firm grip on what is most important in an ant's life. He gathers his food and stores his food and makes certain he can feed himself and his little ant family. He knows the most important thing to do, and he does it.

We could learn from the ant. Regardless of how many people are looking over our shoulder, we're accountable to God for own actions, and it is up to each one of us to do what is most important.

What is most important? For an ant, it's easy to define: Gathering/Storing Food. For us, it's not always as clear cut. If you search your heart, and if you search the will of God, you can know what is most important for you to do today. Chances are, you already know.

So learn from the ant. Ignore whoever may be looking over shoulder, and focus on priority one.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)