The Ant Example

Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

The ant is one of the most amazing insects and one that God often refers believers to emulate. There is a reason the ant continues to thrive despite people trying to kill them. Their ways are wise ways that if followed, could greatly perpetuate the cause of Christ for generations to come. Let us look at the four examples the ant gives us so that we may apply those traits to our lives.

First, the ant is self-driven. You will notice that no ruler telling the ant to gather other than themselves and their desire to make it through the winter season. No person will be used greatly by God who is not self-driven. Self-driven people don't need someone to wake them up or show up. I would hate to think that an ant is more faithful in showing up to do their job than I am. Imagine how much of a difference we could make in the lives of people if Sunday school teachers, and leaders were self-driven to show up every time they are supposed to do something. If the ant copied the diligence of the average believer to show up, the ant would be extinct. You will never do much for God or in society if you are not self-driven. You cannot wait for others to stir you, you must learn to stir yourself to do what you need to do.

Second, the ant is self-motivated. There is no person cheering the ant along in the heat of summer to keep gathering food; they just motivate themselves to keep going despite the heat of summer. The day your motivation to do right comes from within is the day you no longer must depend on external circumstances to serve God. I don't need a soul-stirring song service to get me to worship God; I motivate myself to worship Him. There is nothing wrong with a passionate and fiery sermon stirring your heart to do right, but if this is the only thing that motivates you, you will rarely be motivated. Those who are self-motivated to do right by duty are those who God uses the most, and those who rise to the top in society.

Third, the ant is self-principled. You will notice the ant has no ruler to tell them “no;” they just do what they are supposed to do all the time. You must get principles in life that tell you “yes” or “no.” Principles make the decisions for you when you don't feel like making those decisions. God’s Word must be that guiding factor that tells you what to do in every situation. You cannot be feeling-led and be successful in life because feelings won't always tell you to do right. If you must feel something before you do right, you will never do right. Principle must be what tells you to do right, even when you don't feel like doing it. When you stop letting feelings dictate what you do in life and instead let principles tell you what to do, it is then you will find that you will do right more often. No one has ever successfully lived a life of right without living a self-principled life.

Fourth, the ant is self-learning. The ant had no guide, but it learned what to do. I am weary of a generation who often says they just don't know how to do it. My friend, be self-motivated to learn how to do it. Stop waiting for someone to teach you, and motivate yourself to learn what to do without someone having to teach you. History is filled with lessons to teach you how to get further in life, but if you are not motivated to learn, you will waste history’s lessons and ruin the potential God has planned for you.