Diligence

We've been listening to "Antshillvania" on our drives lately. It's the story of the prodigal son with ants as the characters. I used to listen to it as a child and my children love it. My littlest, Tractorman asked, "Mommy, does God really say that ants are wise?" He was asking because the little prodigal ant was singing, "I'm gonna be noble and wise." I had to think about that for a minute and then remembered the verse "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise."

So I guess that God does consider the ant to be wise, at least her ways are wise, because she is diligent about her work and she stores up for the winter. Whenever I see ants I never see them still unless they are dead, that's the way I prefer my ants anyways. But I find myself putting my feet up and asking so-and-so to go take care of this or tell them to come here and I'll take care of the problem. Now, I'm not saying there aren't times for that. I've really had to work at Elisabeth Elliot's advice of finishing a task before moving on to the next one. But generally, I need to be going to the children and dealing with the problem or inspecting their work.

I also have many things that need to be taken care of. Some of them do involve sitting at the computer, but there are things I can be doing always in this house. Just thinking about the ant motivates me. When I've been feeling discouraged lately about the state of the house or about issues not being resolved, I pray and ask the Lord to intervene and give me a new perspective and he's been faithful to do that. Even from the mouth of an almost-four-year old who doesn't even know that God is using him in his mother's life.

And maybe ants aren't all that smart intellectually, but we are wise if we are diligent like the ant.

Steph