24.228 | LESSONS FROM THE ANT | Proverbs 6:6-11 | God’s Word for Today with Pastor Nazario Sinon

God’s Word For Today

Text: Proverbs 6:6-11 (ESV)

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard;

consider her ways, and be wise.

7 Without having any chief,

officer, or ruler,

8 she prepares her bread in summer

and gathers her food in harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?

When will you arise from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

LESSONS FROM THE ANT

Solomon emphasizes the virtue of diligence from the ant. Ants are well known for their super-strength, with some workers being able to carry up to 50 times their own body weight. Since ants – like other insects – have their skeletons on the outside, their muscles do not have to support much of their body weight, leaving them free to apply more strength to lifting. Ants like to keep busy. They’re always either working on building and cleaning the nest, protecting the queen, or searching for food and resources.

Ants are experts at teamwork and unity. They are born with a purpose, and they work together to achieve their goals of securing their future. The rainy days will come and they have to store food for themselves.

7 Without having any chief,

officer, or ruler,

8 she prepares her bread in summer

and gathers her food in harvest.

Proverbs 10:5 reinforces the importance of working hard, as it says, "He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame." As Christians, we should not need prodding or supervision to work hard, should we? The apostle Paul admonished Christian slaves to work as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart as unto the Lord. As Eph 6:6–7, says, ”not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.”

In contrast to the diligent is the indolent person. Solomon rebukes these people, saying,

9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?

When will you arise from your sleep?

"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep." [Prov 19:15] The imagery here is represented by a person napping, nodding off, or refusing to get out of bed.

There is no virtue in laziness. Poverty is certain to happen to the lazy man.

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

Here, Solomon points out that tolerating even a little laziness is risky: what starts off as "a little" can become a crippling habit.[v.10] Those who are lazy are depicted as excessively sleeping, which is often used as a symbol of irresponsibility. Laziness puts a person at risk when they fall into hard times (v.11). In a similar way, Prov 20:13 warns, "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty." Poverty and crisis can overtake them the same way an armed man robs an unsuspecting victim.

Let’s pause and reflect on the importance of diligence and grabbing our opportunity. Our best treasure is time. Delay is the deception of the enemy. He does not tell you to not do the right thing. He just tells you to delay it, that is to be a person with big intentions or dreams but no actions. Big things happen in our diligence in small things. It is always the right time to do the right things. If you have not trusted the Lord as yet, don’t delay. Regret will be sure for those who delay. ”Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”[ Cor 6:2]

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