Real Hope: ProverbsНамуна

What Ants Teach Us

There’s a brilliant quote in Zoolander where Derek says, ‘What is this? A centre for ants? How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read... if they can’t even fit inside the building?’ His question betrays what I think many of us believe about ants – that they are little more than a tiny insect from which we primarily derive a size comparison.

I must admit that I rarely consider ants at all. Unless one bites me or tries to take residence in my house. Yet here, the wisdom writer calls us to pay heed to the ant. Ants are industrious. Ants are planners. Ants don’t shirk from the effort of work. Ants know what needs to be done and they do it.

I’m certain the writer does not say this purely to frustrate teenagers who just want to chill. Nor to call out those who ‘don’t pull their weight’. Rather, this verse is an encouragement to learn from the good order of God’s creation. God has made us all to work. He has made us all with gifts and capacity to contribute to our basic needs and the needs of others. But also, He has created us to be able to labour for the spread of His Word.

‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you’ (Mathew 28:19–20a). This work isn’t always easy, but it brings Good News to those who are perishing. Therefore, go brothers and sisters – like the ants.

Written by KATIE SMITH