Take a lesson from the ants you lazy fellow. Learn from their ways and be wise for though they have no king to make them work, yet they labour hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.’
Prov. 6:6-8 TLB
The word of God says we all should learn from the ants, especially the slothful ones who always wait for things to happen. The much shouted year 2000 has come and gone. It is time to make appraisal and do retrospective assessment of the whole year. Where was I in January? What have I done for God this year? Where did I fail? and where do I need to improve upon. These are the questions that should be rolling in our mind by now. There are quite some virtues to learn from the ants.
‘Which having no guide, overseer or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest.’ – Prov. 6:7-8.
The first and the most important thing to learn from the ants is that they are SELF MOTIVATED. They have no mentor, no G.O. or a ruling king but they get things done. Self motivation is the secret behind mobility. To be self motivated is to propel yourself to work despite all odds, without anybody giving you a push.
‘… but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ – 1 Sam. 30:6b.
You cannot afford to repeat this year next year. You must motivate yourself to work. Improve on your yearning for things of the kingdom. Press to do more for God this coming year. Believe God to drop all those dirty habits and hidden sins that chained you throughout this year. Make yourself up and wear yourself from laziness. If the ants can be self motivated, then you can also. You don’t need any instructor more than the Holy Spirit inside you.
‘But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.’ – 1 John 2:27.
The second thing you need to learn from the ant is PLANNING.
‘The ants are people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer.’ – Prov. 30:25.
It is a thing to be self motivated but it is another thing to be a good planner. Planning concretise your desire and keeps you on a definite track. The ants have a full understanding of their physical weaknesses in strength but maximised their mental strength. You don’t need physical strength to plan or prepare. This is true wisdom.
‘Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyed in much good’ – Ecol. 9:18.
You cannot succeed more than your level of preparation. There is a popular saying that if you fail to plan, you have already planned to fail. You must not enter next year without planning ahead. Here is Jesus’ word:
‘For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it.’ – Luke 14:28.
Planning is the bedrock of life. Our day to day christian walk is our plan towards our final meeting with the Lord.
‘And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.’ – 1 John 3:3.
Go before the Lord. Block out some days this month and seek God’s face for clear and accurate direction for next year. Not for yourself alone but for your loved ones, your church and your business (Ezra 8:21). Backsliding begins with failure to plan. This is the best time to plan for your next year. The ants prepare their food in summer knowing fully well that winter will soon come when no one will be able to work.
‘So Johann became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.’ – 2 Chron. 27:6.
The third thing you need to learn from the ants is their DILIGENCE. A clear understanding of your weaknesses and shortcomings should propel you to work. The ants, though not physically strong but they are, mentally. Your attitude to work must change this coming year if you must get more than what you got this year.
‘But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain: but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ – 1 Cor. 15:10.
Get ready to labour in the grace more than ever before. The only way to maximise God’s grace upon your life is to labour with it. Remember, it is the food you prepare in summer that you will eat in winter. Jesus said:
‘I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day, night cometh when no man can work.’ – John 9:4
Christianity is not just watching it is working. It is working that makes your watching worthy.
‘Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her good in the harvest.’ – Prov. 6:8
Gathering involves labour. Start gathering what you need for the journey now. Solomon the wise king said:
‘He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.’ – Prov. 10:5
The fourth and the last thing to learn from the ants is their ORGANISATION. They have no guide, no overseer or ruler, yet they get things done. Things work out when they are well organised.
‘The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands.’ – Prov. 30:27
God dwells and manifest Himself in an organised setting, organised your life. Don’t leave things disjointed. Organisation is slightly different from planning. Organisation has to do more with linking different things together to form a union. The operation of the ants are always organised. Your family, business and church should be stripped together in harmony in such a way that God will be glorified in it. Let God have a taste of your life this coming year. Till we meet next year. Happy new year.
0 Comments