Consider the Ant

There are a series of verses in Proverbs (6:6-11) that talk about the wisdom of the ant. A miniscule creature, the ant; yet it is full of wisdom and can teach those who consider its ways.

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer, or ruler, yet it stores its provision in summer and gathers its food at harvest".

In summer and fall, the ant's food supply is plentiful. He is in an economic boom. His mortgage meltdown has not happened yet! And still, during this time of prosperity, and during harvest, the time of plenty, he saves provision for the winter when food will be scarce. Why did the author of Proverbs (through divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit) include this warning about the ant? And can we gain anything from it?

I believe that during the time of prosperity, which many analysts say is past for the U.S., it is important to save up for times that will not be so easy going. The context of these verses is to the sluggard- him who is lazy. The ant never stops workng. Have you ever observed an ant? They are constantly on the move. Always working. They do not have a commander to rely on. No governement aid or program to apply for when disaster strikes.

We live in a culture that is addicted to the idea of entitlement. Everyone thinks somebody owes them something. In many schools and sports associations nowadays, they give trophies to EVERYONE, whether they have earned them or not. Sometimes they just keep letting students re-take instructon until they can pass it. What does this teach young people? Don't try your best. Don't compete. Don't work hard. DOn't plan for the future because just your EFFORTS will be rewarded. For after all, it's all about self esteem, and as long as you FEEL GOOD about yourself and are indulging your own senses, things will go ok for you.

Not true. That is not reality.

In the New Testament, Paul writes that those (among his congregations) who refuse to work, they shall not eat. Now, he is not talking about those who are ill or disabled in some way. The Israelites had a specific class and specific provisions for those people. He also taught his disciples not to become a burden to others. They were to live above reproach.

There are many other biblical verses that talk about a man providing for his family and the future of his children. Work hard. Put forth effort to yield positive results. In fact, one of the central messages of the book of Ecclesiastes is: work hard, do God's will, and enjoy what you have been given with gladness and thanksgiving, because it will not last. It seems counter-cultural to today's society, but we must take action to invest for our survival in the future.

Our family has been trying to put this into practice in 2 ways: Giving freely and saving (or making supplies) in case of future hard times.

Many proverbs talk about giving: Cast your bread on many waters and after many days it will come back to you... There is one who scatters and yet increases more.... Yeshua (Jesus) said it this way: Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together and running over. And of course, one of my life's scriptures: Genesis 12:3: " I will bless those who bless you (Israel) and I will curse him who curses you". You can believe God keeps His word.

Lately my husband and I have been watching the happenings in Israel and praying to know what we should be doing about principle #2: making provisions for hard times. Israel is God's timepiece. If we want to know what will happen in the future of our country, we better as well watch what happens with the Middle East and know what the Bible says about Israel.

At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, we have been seeing some disturbing trends with Israel, the U.S., and Israel's enemies. Because we are allies with Israel, or at least have been in the past, we have been attacked by her enemies as well. (Remember September 11th?) Most people were baffled by what happened to us. But if you know what the bible says and how much the Islamic terrorists hate God's chosen people and want to wipe them off the map, it would have been no surprise to you. At that time, I was just beginning to learn first hand about anti-semitism. I got one whopper of an object lesson.

Both Israel and Iran have been running special military exercises very recently. These include plans to use weapons of mass destruction, and yes, even nuclear weapons. Israel, and possibly the U.S. is on the brink of war with Ahmadinijad and his Iran. This includes Syria. (There is still a prophetic scripture about Damascus, Syria's capital, that has not yet been fulfilled. Damascus will be a 'ruinous heap'). You will not hear this on CNN, Fox News, or aol news sources. You WILL hear them from former intel people and current military leaders. But the major American news agencies are not interviewing these people. They are interviewing Obama's campaign manager.

So what are we to do? Run in fear and hide? I think not. I think we ought to pray. I think we ought to re-evaluate our priorities and our goals, line them up with the will of God and trust Him as best we can. For people who have been wandering in the valley of decision concerning whether or not to believe Yeshua is indeed the Messiah and Savior of the world, stop waffling and ask Him to take control of your life, be born again in to the Kingdom of God with all it's benefits (eternal life!) and ask Him what kinds of preparations you should be making for your family.

Do not rest. Do not "fold the hands" and take your repose as the Proverb warns against. Not only possibly will we be in a physical conflict soon, but we are in a spiritual battle right now. Prayer is the key. Just talk to your Heavenly Father. HE knows everything about you already anyway. All prayer is is talking to Him. If you want to beleieve in God, but are skeptical, ask Him with a pure heart to reveal Himself to you. He will.

We have entered a new season in this country. The temptation will be to be fearful, to retreat, to appease our enemies, or to seek one's own will and pleasures. But in the difficult times ahead, let's not forget our God. And let's not forget to consider the ant.....