Proverbs 6:6-8
“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.
1. Ants are driven by purpose
By purpose I mean having a clear long-term objective or goal which shapes everything you do. For example, one ant’s sole job description is to find food for the colony. This is their purpose, and they input all of their time and energy into this.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
God made you for a purpose. If you are unsure of your purpose in life, talk to God and read the Bible continuously especially the new testament, and God will reveal HIS reasons for your existence.
2. Ants work as part of a team
Ants are team workers and work together in order to achieve something great. Likewise, in order for you to achieve something substantial in life, you must align yourself with others who can help propel you to another level.
There is a popular saying that no man is an island and this is confirmed by the Bible.
Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching…
We need one another because God has placed destiny helpers in each of our lives who will help us learn to value and love one another and thus fulfil our purpose.
3. Ants have a time to rest and a time to work
Ants have to work with the natural seasons, so in the summer, they gather food and in winter, they hibernate, to conserve energy because of the lack of food. It’s about knowing when you need to stop.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 2
“For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under the heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to harvest.”
4. Ants think big
In the animal/insect kingdom, ants can seem like one of the most insignificant insects on the planet because they are so small in size. But the colonies they build and their contribution to the animal kingdom is extremely significant and great.
This should assure you that you are an extremely important and valuable part of this world. God created you with inbuilt greatness so walk in it. Don’t worry about how the world perceives you, just understand your worth through the eyes of the Bible.
5. Ants prepare ahead of time
Ants prepare their food in Summer because they know that there will be a time when there will be no food to find in winter time, so they are constantly preparing for a season which is yet to come upon them.
7. Ants serve one another
Living for ourselves is a lonely existence. Serving people goes that one step further and asks ‘what can I do for you?’ You start to live beyond yourself and purposefully contribute positively to others.
Hebrews 6:10
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them”
8. Ants care for their fellow Ants.
Caring means sharing one another’s burdens even though sometimes that load can be heavy. In the end, the act of caring strengthens the whole team because the Bible states that God will not give us a bigger load than each of us can carry.
Taking our cue from the ants, did you know that when a few ants in a colony are infected by a fungal disease, they lick it off one another thus inadvertently spreading the disease throughout the colony but, each ant only receives as much of the disease that their individual immune system can fight off effectively! Loving can be painful but it is worth it.
1 Corinthians 13:13
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.