Wednesday: Protect Your Work
Read Proverbs 6:6–8. What can we learn from the ant?
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
Not only do ants work hard (even harder than humans, if one compares the burden they are able to carry to the burden humans can carry in proportion to their respective weights), but ants work independently and do not need to be supervised. The main reason for their hard work is the future. They anticipate
times of trouble (winter) and prepare themselves for them. So, the ant teaches us the wisdom of thinking about the future when making plans or engaging in an activity.This is a question that demands consideration by every parent, every teacher, every student — by every human being, young or old. No scheme of business or plan of life can be sound or complete that embraces only the brief years of this present life and makes no provision for the unending future.
— Ellen G. White, Education, p. 145.
Read Proverbs 6:9–11. What can we learn from the sluggard?
It is the sluggard who has something to learn from the ant, not the other way around: Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise
(Prov. 6:6, NKJV). While the ants are at work, the sluggards are asleep. While the ants are productive at the harvest, the sluggards keep folding their two hands, a symbol of indolence. The ants surpass themselves by carrying burdens heavier than themselves and by preparing for the future; the sluggards live in the present and are occupied only with themselves.
Though indolence and laziness are condemned here, we must also remember that life consists of more than work and earning money. How does the Sabbath, as presented in the context of the workweek, help us find this proper balance?
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Great lesson..I always believe at looking at the holistic picture..in this case, while wisdom teaches us about hardwork, forethought and proactivity as the ant, it would also be useful to consider the words of Jesus in Matt6:33-34 and Luke 12:22 where Jesus says do not worry about your life, the food you eat or the clothes you wear.. like the birds of the air or flowers of the fields. These teachings may seem contradictory at first but the conclusion of today's lesson sums it up well.
Yes the two seem opposite - don't worry about what you will eat or wear and learn from the ant to work hard and store up for the future?
I first looked at context of Matt 6 which starts off with where is your focus on earthly or heavenly treasure, and you can't serve God and money, and continues with seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteoussness and then ...
In proverbs it seems straight forward don't be lazy, work to provide for your basic needs. Ants don't work for unneccessary luxuries, they also share with the community you don't get some with lots and others with nothing.
So these two passages are about different issues and have different principles for us to learn.
Yes praise the LORD, He says in 6 days do all your work but rest on the Sabbath, trust me I will make sure the 6 days are enough for your basic needs.
The Sabbath (praise God for it) presents the best option for work-life balance. A day of rest and gladness and family togetherness in the Lord. We would do well to consider the counsel of going to the ants. They are small, tiny I would say, but have large vision. They ponder the future and make realistic plans for it. When rain is imminent, they go to higher ground and take their food with them. They are great team players. They care for each other, They are excellent time and resource managers. They are true professionals and will not rest until the work is done. I have sat and observed ants for at least half an hour and believe me they are intelligent. What a mighty God we serve! Everything is created for a purpose. Let us ponder the powerful lesson presented by going to the ants!
being hardworking and wise...thank you lord for this message.
Prov 6:6-8
6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
This text may be speaking to the person we encountered in Prov 6:1-5 the debtor, who (out of laziness) causes a friend to be surety. It may also just be a stand alone message to us all.
The manner in which the ant works shows diligence (busy working now) and providence (to provide for future).
The ant shows team play as well as self motivation becos it doesn't hinder the other but they all work successfully doing their faithful part.
Gathering for a rainy day is like planning and working to secure the future. For us Christians, it calls for both physical earthly material preps as well as spiritual for eternity. Total surrender to God.
Securing for a rainy day means there will be no physical work on that rainy day. Equally, there must be a time to pause from physical labour (having worked and made providence) and just praise God for His guidance thru our successes and simply worship Him.
Further, there will come a time wen we will be hindered by times, wen we can no longer put things right with God (close of probation) but having already earlier surrendered ourselves to Him, we will have strength to carry on. Such a time wen it will be too late to decide for Christ
God help us!
The Sabbath reminds us that our Abba Father is an orderly God! He sets at the end of the weekly cycle the Sabbath to fill our need to rest from physical labour and to put Him as the centre of our world! The proper balance is only found in knowing, worshiping our Creator!
Ants are very wise proactive creatures. When well studied, they gather foods during the dry season and hardly see them doing raining season.They work very hard.Ready for the future. Lesson learnt from them as a christian shows that i should work for the night is coming because no one knows what the pregnant night could give birth to. This lesson is pointing to us clearly that we should be everyday ready for the master(we should count each day as if it was the last day on earth)and each day as a blessing to glorify the Lord.
As we go on our daily activities, we should not forget the fact that there is a reward for every action taken in life the the creator will ask for an account one day.
to conclude, we should remember we are just by-passers and our final home is in heaven so let us prepare for the kingdom of God than concentrating on the worldly things which will be destroyed one day. let rather focus on God and ask him to direct our lives. AMEN.
I am just wondering if the word anticipate came from the characteristic of the ant. Since he is always in preparation mode. You think?
The answer to the last question, is found, in last week's scripture verse of Hebrews 4:2..., that of--the balance is in receiving and/or being in LORD GOD'S REST
As we work for our future so should we in our spiritual matters. We should strike the right balance between earthly and heavenly lives.
Thank God for this wonderful lesson. A very thin line exists between working hard to have a comfortable future and making our pursuits for money and comfort take God's place in our lives. God saw this possibility and provided the Sabbath as a weekly reminder so that we will acknowledge the source of the energy we have to work and make wealth. The Sabbath is very beneficial to us in so many ways. It keeps us from worshipping money and at the same time prevents us from burning out due to too much work. Thank God for the gift of the Sabbath.