Diligent Living

"Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.  Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest."

Proverbs 6:6-8

I took this scripture very literally and considered the ways of ants by looking up some ant facts.  One that I found particularly interesting is that each ant has a specific job that they inherently know to do.  Most species of ants live in large colonies, living in community with one another.  They each have a job and an assignment to do.  The only job the female queen ants have is to lay eggs, while other female ants take care of the larvae.  Meanwhile, other ants harvest food, take out trash from the colony, or move objects around.  The point is, to consider the way the ants are living.  It is so easy to get caught up and wrapped up into idleness.  During this time of quarantine you may have experienced or continue to experience a lot of idle time.  I know that while I was in inpatient rehab there was often the temptation to be idle, or basically do nothing.  But, in this scripture above the Lord is giving us a practical warning.  We were not created to be idle creatures, we were created to be diligent workers.  And what work is that, you may ask?  You are tasked with the job of finding your spiritual gift and nurturing that to shine the light of Christ.  No matter what your job, or spiritual gift, you should be nurturing that, with the help of godly mentors, to be the best version of yourself as possible.  We do this to glorify God in all that we do, and doing this gives us peace and joy in our lives.  When we live this way, we live with joy because we will have no regrets in the way we are living.  Paul warns us in Ephesians 5:16, "make the best use of the time, because the days are evil."  You ever hear the saying, 'idle time is the devil's playground'?  This is where that comes from.  This is why Paul gives us this warning, and why the writer of this proverb about tells us to examine and consider the way that ants work.  We are to live diligent lives, abounding in the work of the Lord.  We do this because we are motivated by God's love in our hearts.  Because of the forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace He has shown us in our lives, we are to make the best use of our time serving God and others.  Do you feel that when you have spent the day doing nothing, you feel empty, or depressed?  Are there days where you are idle and feel as though you are slipping back into old sin?  This word is a call to you to mirror your life to this scripture.  Today, consider your ways.  Pray and ask God for a heart motivated by His love to serve and be diligent.  This is true Kingdom living, that leads to a joyful, peaceful, and abundant life!  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!