Day 7 | 21-Day Growth Challenge | "Learning from Ants"

Sunday, September 05, 2010 Bryan Hudson 10 Comments







SCRIPTURE:
Proverbs 6:6 (NLT)  Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. 9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

INSIGHT: 

Success and prosperity do not come without diligence. Sometimes people fall into the traps laid by those who promise to help them "get rich quick." They seem to never learn that there are no shortcuts to prosperity God's way.

Of all the examples that could be provided, Solomon tells the reader to go look at ants in order to learn about the power of diligence. This instruction was intended as a rebuke to those who are lazy, or who the New Living Translation calls "lazybones." By nature, ants prepare for the winter by working to store up resources during the summer.

While poverty for some people is the result of unfortunate circumstances, it is also true that for some poverty comes upon them because of poor planning and laziness on matters that require diligence. Sometimes people are sleep, physically and spiritually, when they should be awake and alert. Obviously, prosperity God's way does not come to those who choose to sleep and not work diligently. He compares this kind of laziness to being attacked by a robber.

Are you awake and alert?


PRAYER:
"Lord, thank you for examples that you provide from nature. I see that all of your creation responds to you. How much more should I respond to you since Christ has saved me and given me His nature? In Jesus Name, Amen! "

ACTIVATION: 
(Use comment section below to share your insights. Record sensitive items in your personal journal. You can login or simply use your first name.)
  1. What other example(s) in nature speak to you about biblical success principles?
  2. Why do people fail to accept responsibility for their own behaviors that contribute to lack and poverty?
  3. What actions will you take today related to this lesson?
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COMMENT SECTION:
Click on "Comments" to read others and add yours afterwards.

10 comments :

  1. 1.) Salmon swim for miles and travel upstream without stopping for food to spawn and ensure a new generation of fish.

    2.)Because, that means that they would actually have to do something about their situation and address their own behavior. Living in denial and placing blame on anyone or anything else such as "an unjust Society", "Family", or "this is just the way things are" becomes a way of life. This mode of thinking allows a person to let themselves off of the hook. They feel that even if they put forth any effort, they will be inhibited by the circumstances of life. Even if people do try to succeed, with this mind set, failure is inevitable.

    3.) I will make sure I am working consistently towards the things I know God has called me to do.

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  2. 1. What other example(s) in nature speak to you about biblical success principles?
    God created all creatures with purpose and when they fulfill their purpose they are successful.

    2. Why do people fail to accept responsibility for their own behaviors that contribute to lack and poverty?
    - It is sometimes hard to admit that you are in the situation you are in.
    - Pride
    - They do not have to do anything to better the situation if is not their fault.

    3. What actions will you take today related to this lesson?
    I will continue to seek the purpose of my life and move in that direction.

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  3. 1.Some other examples in nature that speak to me about biblical success principles:
    a.Birds: There is a proverb I remember from my childhood, “The early bird gets the worm”. Matthew 6:26 asks us to look at the birds, who do not need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because our heavenly Father feeds them”, so they do not need to worry about food, drink, or clothes. It is true that the Lord and people provide the worms, insects, fruit, bird seed,etc. which the birds eat to live, however, the birds own efforts is an example to all who lack diligence.
    By nature, birds are among the first creature sounds I hear as the morning is coming. Consider their attitude, wise use of time, and work ethic as they greet the dawn of day and their Creator with chirping (songs of praise), and do not waste time, but move about here and there, on the hunt for the worm, which they may have to pull out of the ground.
    b.Geese: It is amazing all of the lessons I see when I observe a flock of geese flying together in the sky (the V formation) or swimming together (straight line formation) in the lake. How the geese relate to each other by nature speaks to me of order instead of chaos, submitting to authority instead of being rebellious, sharing the “on point” position so the work load is shared, and the result of the group’s effort accomplishes the goal that one of them could not successfully do alone.

    2.People fail to accept responsibility for their own behaviors that contribute to lack and poverty because it is easier to use excuses and place blame on some other person(s), organizations, or institutions, laws, etc. than to accept the truth that there is also personal responsibility for unwise choices and behaviors. Also, admitting responsibility means the person will be faced with the decision to do something, eotjer continue the path of lack and poverty or take painstaking efforts to correct the problem. In addition, to accept responsibility will mean the person and the lifestyle will have to change if prosperity God’s way is to become a reality.

    3.Actions I took today related to this lesson is that I used some time to reflect about what I have observed in nature in the actions of creatures that I would not have otherwise done. Also, I used some time to organize and bring better order to the storage areas in the kitchen (pantry, cabinets) and bathroom (cabinet).

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  5. What other example(s) in nature speak to you about biblical success principles?
    The farmer sows seed. Some yield nothing. Some have a return at different rates. All of the returns are based on the condition of the soil. Hard ground that has not been plowed brings no results. Rocky ground and ground with thorns bring small results that wither after a time. Only ground that has been tended, watered and fertilized are fruitful. This lets me know that diligence does profit the sower.

    Why do people fail to accept responsibility for their own behaviors that contribute to lack and poverty?
    It is easy to blame others and not look deep inside for your own shortcomings. Lack of diligence, preparation and prayer lead to lack and poverty.

    What actions will you take today related to this lesson?
    i will think about the balance between diligence, productivity and profit - and examine my motivation for deciding which tasks to work on and finish.

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  6. 1. The gray squirrel is another animal that is wise and industrious enough to gather nuts and seeds for the coming winter. Additionally, it hides them in numerous places just in case another animal finds one stash, several other stashes will be available upon which it can survive.
    2. Humans often want to blame others for their shortcomings because it is easier to live with oneself if another can be labeled as the cause for our failure. However, this practice often leads to continuous failure because the individual does not have the initiative to diligently work toward success since they sincerely believe that nothing they do will help change their condition because the world is against them.
    3. I will continue to ask God to give me the wisdom to work and be a good steward over the fruits that he gives as a result.

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  7. 1."Counting the cost" is a biblical success principle.Luke 14:28,29
    The beaver is an animal in nature that demonstrates this principle. He knows how thick to make his home for the winters cold. The beaver builds until the job is done. When you see a small damn, the winter will be mild; a thicker one tells that the winter will be very cold.
    2.Why do people fail to accept responsibility for their own behavior that contributes to lack and poverty?
    a) To accept responsibility would mean that they would have to admit that there's something wrong with whatever they are doing."Admit failure"or "Having a bad attitude", no way.
    b) Suppose they accept that what they have done contributed to lack. Now they are faced with, "What am I going to do about it". This might mean changing things in their life to correct the behavior; a lot of work.
    3.I will look more carefully at my behavior to my responsibilities to see if it's causing me to lack in some way or come to poverty: then correct my behavior before I come to ruin.
    -Davis

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  8. 1)Bears are an example in nature of the biblicial success principle. They eat all the food they can during spring and summer because they sleep during the winter.

    2)Immaturity and inpatience are two reasons people fail to follow the biblical principles necessary for success.

    3)I will manage my professional, bliblical and personal obligations with all diligence. I will ask for the grace of God.

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  9. Nature teaches us through the four season of Spring , Summer, Fall and Winter. Just as the seasons change, we must enter into each season of life by preparing for the changes and new responsibilities that we must face. In the book of Eclesi. it says that there is a time and season for every thing under the sun, so there is a time for preparing, planning and working dilligently in order to succeed.

    People fail to accept responsibility because people take life for granted, and feel that life owes them something. We must realizing t hat in order to be blessed we must delligently pursue the wisdom that God has provided for us through his word that teaches us to be accountable for our actions.

    We will work hard to be dilligent at all times, in order to achieve success in life.

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  10. 1. Other examples of nature speaking to us from a biblical principle are a) mat.13:5 the story of the sower who sows on different types of ground, and yields nothing,until he sows on good ground and bares fruit. b) Palms 1:3 be as a tree planted by rivers of water...bringing forth fruit in due season, and whatsoever you do, you shall prosper.
    2. To except responsibility for ones own behavior that causes poverty is like - setting fire to all your money, your house & car..then asking "where shall I live, How can I make it..there is no money, how will I get around without transportation". It would be mentally insane to knowingly do this. But to be able to blame someone else for the lose is a way of not feeling or looking so foolish,after all--who wants to hear "I'm doing this to myself"
    3. Action taken: ask God to help me see if I am hindering goals or successes I've prayed for,by making wrong choices.

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