THE ANTS' LESSON

INTRODUCTION:

Ants are very small creatures which prove to be annoying, frustrating and irritating. Because of that, to many, the nuisance value of these little invaders far outweighs their resource value. However, through a study of their activities, ants are smart enough to be more of a beneficial value than of a nuisance value. Although they may be nuisance, the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, saw how resourceful and beneficial they were and therefore praised them for their steadfast work ethics which serve as a lesson for people who want to succeed in life. More importantly, the ant’s lesson can help us to be good and effective stewards.

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM ANTS?

There are ten lessons that we can learn from the little nuisance invaders called ants:

1. They Are Disciplined: To be disciplined is to train yourself to obey rules or a higher code of conduct. Discipline as well as disciple are both derived from the same root. This means that disciplined people first submit willingly and learn to obey rules imposed from both within and without. Disciplined people are always principled–they live according to principles. Principles are rules that governs a person's behaviour. Note that it is discipline is the vehicle that transports people from desire to dream fulfilment. Why and how? Living a disciplined life makes you know the standard or mark you are living by; hence, when you miss the mark, you know by which margin you have drifted off. When you live a disciplined life, no situation can dictate your morals. It is only the people who don’t live by principles who have the “anything goes” mindset in all their settings. But never have that attitude of "anything goes", for it is discipline, not desire, that determines destiny. Thus, discipline is what will make you work whilst your peers waste time, study while others sleep or pray whilst others play.

2. They Are Focused (They Look Ahead): To be focused is to pay particular attention to the work you do. Ants gather food in the summer in preparation for the rainy day. They work while people move around for vacation and holidays. They have the mentality of “time and tide wait for no man.” This attitude also makes them visionaries–they have vision. Note that visionaries are “seers”–people who have seen more and farther than others. Vision includes optimism and hope and that is what ants are. Ants are never pessimists because they never see difficulties before possibilities, so they never hold back amidst what trouble people subject them into. Be like the ant–stay focused in all your endeavours.

3. They Are Self-Directive: To be self-directive is to work without being instructed before you begin an action. Ants do not have a leader, a chief or an overseer, yet they are productive. Once they know what they are supposed to do, they don’t wait for command before they begin action. They do not behave like robots which need some sort of algorithm or instructions before they act. Because they are self-directive, they are able to make informed decisions. It takes only disciplined people to be self-directive–be one!

4. They Keep Themselves Busy: Ants never lie idle; they always keep themselves busy. They don't say, "I don't have any work to do–they find work to do even if there is no work", neither do they say "I’m tired because I have toiled all day". All they know to do is to keep themselves busy, because they know that: lazy people are soon poor, but hard workers get rich (Proverbs 10:4); hard workers become leaders, but lazy people become slaves (Proverbs 12:24); and diligent people will serve before kings (Proverbs 22:29). Therefore, work hard and keep yourself busy, for hard work pays.

5. They Don't Make Excuses For Failure: You will never hear an ant saying, "I don't have a father". Neither would you hear them saying, "The colour of my skin is dark" or "there was ‘dumsor’...and there was no one to help me out”. They don’t make excuses because they know excuses are the raw materials for failure. It takes only responsible people not to make excuses or blame others for their failure–be responsible.

6. They Save For The Future: Ants never assume the future would be bright–no! So they work today to save in order to secure the brightness of the future. Inculcate the habit of saving.

7. They Never Give Up: Have you observed an ant trying to move a food particle over an obstacle? If the food keeps falling, it will return to it and keep trying until it succeeds. Why do they do that? Because they know that, in life, you either get knocked up, knocked down or knocked out. But most importantly, they know that, a knock down is not a knockout. So like Eliphaz, always sing this anthem that, “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is a lifting up (Job 22:29a KJV).”

8. They Think Positively: Ants never gets daunted by the size or weight of whatever they want to move. If an ant finds a particle too big, she will break it down into smaller movable pieces–that is the result of positive thinking. A positive-minded person always believes that there is always a way and he will search for it–be that person. Therefore, be optimistic, because He who is in you is bigger than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4 NKJV). Think positively–you are already a subduer!

9. They Work Diligently: Ants work during the time of work and sleep during the time of sleep. They don’t have alarm clocks nor timekeepers, yet they know when to sleep and when to get up to work. Why? Because they know that the diligent person will stand before kings.

10. They Believe In Teamwork: Ants believe in working together. They have a way of informing one another the direction to move. They fight as one against the enemy, and if the need be, they also die as one. They never backbite their fellows, they never gossip about their friends, neither do they look for the downfall of their fellow. They work as one and die as one–be a team player.

CONCLUSION:

Ants are wise enough to be good and effective stewards, but you and I can even do more and be better than them, because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). So, as I conclude, I want you to ponder over these questions: Am I disciplined? Do I live by biblical principles, or I have the attitude of ‘anything goes’? can I be trusted as a steward of God? Do I always make excuses for my failures or I take responsibility for my ineffectiveness? Do I look ahead and save for the future, or I always think about my now? What do I need to change in order to become a good and effective steward over my life and my environment? Can I be a model that can attract people for Christ? Am I a team player? Do I support my team or I am only an egocentric?

As you reflect on these questions, join me to sing solemnly the hymn by Horatius Bonar in MHB 589, Stanza 1:

“Go, labour on; spend and be spent,

Thy joy to do the Father’s will:

It is the way the Master went;

Should not the servant tread it still?”

God bless you!