Follow the Ant

Written by Bob Buse

December 9, 2020

 

The ant is a magnificent creature. It is mighty among midgets able to lift over 100 times it’s own weight. It has amazing planning and organizational skills. Ants have no hierarchal order; they work together in teams organized with a work ethic that is unmatched. So inspiring is this insect that God, the Creator, tells us to consider the ant and learn from it’s ways.

In our present culture where leadership is paramount, the eagle is the representative icon: that soaring emblem of independence high above the earth; a conspicuous figure effortlessly surfing the currents of the wind. Conversely, the ant labors in virtual obscurity, anonymously in the lowest places. Yet the ant knows exactly what their role is and their vital place in the community. There is hardly a more appropriate symbol of what God is looking for today. Jesus said, “the workers are few.” Interestingly, the Greek word (ergate) for “worker” is defined as a “worker ant” in any dictionary. We are to resemble a colony of worker ants in the Kingdom of God.

The one outstanding trait ants teach us is diligence. Have you ever looked closely at an ant colony? It is a study of perpetual motion. Thousands of individual ants moving purposefully to accomplish a task. Diligence is a description of how one does work. It is a steady effort to accomplish; careful and persistent work; faithfulness with sweat; endurance that is focused. Diligence is the opposite of lazy, dull, lethargic. When the environment is conditioned with diligence, you can know something important is getting done. God approves of and rewards diligence.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved unto God as a workman that does not need to be ashamed…”

Paul writes to his spiritual son, Timothy, about the value of diligence in his assignment as a workman. Tim was leading a large metropolitan church in Ephesus at that time. Paul does not refer to him as leader. Neither does he give him advice on how to be a better leader. He encourages the young man to seek God’s approval as a consummate worker and set an example that will bring no shame to God, himself or the ministry.

Jesus speaks of workers for the harvest. In harvest times, there is plenty of work to go around. There is no place for idleness, no excuse for uselessness. Everyone who is part of a church community needs to discover their delegated work. God has already designed us for our assigned work. Before we were born there were works prepared for us to do (Eph.2:10).

I am not suggesting the only work to be done is within the church community. In fact, the overwhelming majority of work is performed out in the world. We need to see our vocational work as part of God’s calling on our life and how it fits into His Master Plan of redeeming the world.

Following and working come before leading. And we never grow beyond being a first follower and Kingdom worker. Proverbs tells us the ant, with no overseer or ruler, instinctively provides for the needs of the community. The ant is simply following the creative impulse to work. We don’t follow the ant to learn about leadership. We follow the ant to learn how to work with diligence.

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