Life lessons from ants

Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. Proverbs 30:25

In July I traveled to North Carolina and joined 700 other women at the Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference.

I diligently prepared for the conference as I was meeting with publishers to present a book proposal. I boarded the plane to Charlotte with my proposal carefully tucked in my carry-on, and a detailed plan created in my mind. My intention was to find a publisher, to network and build my “platform,” and to learn as much as possible from the speakers.

However, as the conference progressed into its second day, I realized that God had a different agenda for me.

As Christine Caine challenged us on the Friday evening, I heard God say, what I want you to do is focus on being faithful to me. I was not to center my attention on building a name for myself. Instead, I needed to concentrate on living a life that brings glory to God, whether it is taking care of my family or being a writer.

Proverbs 6:6 says: Go to the ant, you sluggard. Sometimes, the Bible has a way with words. Consider its ways and be wise. These little creatures, although we often consider them a pest, display wisdom by working hard to gather food when it is abundant so they have sufficient to eat during a less plentiful season.

Ants show good judgment despite their lack of grandeur.

It is easy to draw parallels between the activity of the ant and living in New England. Not being native to this area, I have learned it is wise to make the most of summer before the long cold winter sets in.

In the summertime, I spend as much time as possible outdoors. I’m sitting outside at the moment, writing this devotional. My daughter and I have a small vegetable garden in our back yard where we grow lettuces, tomatoes, basil and other herbs. Some of the crop we harvest and eat immediately, enjoying the flavor of freshly picked produce. Any excess crop we prepare for the freezer, so we have food outside the growing season.

Yet, we should also be wise about stocking up on spiritual food, particularly to give us nourishment during a barren season.

The She Speaks conference this summer supplied me with biblical teaching and knowledge, and it gave me an opportunity to hear from God. This was spiritual food. I can store up the truths I learned and draw upon them to meet my needs today and during a less fruitful season.

This summer, I hope you have had the chance to gather some spiritual food.

Maybe, your summertime spiritual stockpiling has been a walk by the sea spending alone time with God to rest and recharge your life, or learning from the experience of a mission trip, or like myself, receiving godly teaching at a conference.

Be wise with your work. Store up spiritual food.

(Photo: Freefoto.com)