“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in summer and gathers her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8
This Proverb is about the importance of work. It would have us consider the ant to reveal how to put into practice a strong Biblical work ethic and to keep us from becoming the sluggard. In Proverbs the sluggard is a type of fool that refuses to work or who does incomplete, sloppy work. Two important principles are highlighted here.
The first principle is that the ant has no overseer or manager to make sure they are doing good work. To be like the ant we need to be self-governing. My high school football coach told us that character is what you do when no one is looking. What he meant by this is what is pictured in this Proverb. We should be people who can be counted upon to do good work even when there is no coach, teacher, parent, or any other authority around. Psalm 39 says don’t be like the horse or mule who only work because they have a bit and bridle that forces them obey. Being a person of integrity and godly character means being ready to do the right thing even when no one knows about it. Of course, God sees all and rewards all. All the work we do is ultimately for Him whether or not any human knows about it.
The next lesson from the ant is that they prepare now for the future. This requires extra work. We are not to do the minimum amount of work in order to just get by. To be like the ant we must think ahead and prepare for the future. Being a hard worker creates prosperity and abundance so we can be generous and be ready to provide even in times of distress and need. I think of Joseph who created storehouses of grain in the years of plenty so that they would have food in years of drought.
Not surprisingly, Proverbs is full of godly, practical counsel that we can do today. May God grant that we would embody the biblical work ethic of the ant today!
His mercy endures forever!
Pastor Flynn