Have you ever made a careful study of the ants? Well, what better time than now for us to stop and do so, especially if it is our endeavour or desire to reconcile and rebuild our beloved island Anguilla.
All of us know by now what ants look like, however all of us might not have paid much attention to them, or simply viewed them as disgusting and insignificant creatures that we need to get rid of. Nevertheless, the life of the ants has much to teach us both individually and collectively as a people if indeed we are to move forward.
Though little in nature, ants are an amazing set of creatures. They have a very great deal in common with us as people, believe it or not. They are incredibly social animals, with very clearly defined job roles. They are brilliant builders, and are excellent at solving problems by using their team skills. It has often been said that a single ant is fairly useless, and will die very quickly, but together, a whole colony acts like a single creature, with remarkable intelligence and understanding. Hence, it will do us much good if we consider learning from them.
My friends, the Bible teaches many lessons from nature and God’s creation that we need to make use of. The Bible instructs us to seek the wisdom that can be derived from the ants. So we must understand that they are not insignificant creatures after all. There is much for us to glean from their lifestyle. Proverbs Chapter 6 verse 6 is quite poignant. It states: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise.” To teach us the danger of laziness in our lives, God points us to an unlikely teaching source. “Go to the ant”, He tells us, to learn valuable lessons. All God asks is that we use our various abilities to get things done, and one of our greatest ability is availability! So what is it that we can learn from those remarkable insects? Basically, they give us some simple principles that we can all learn from. Here are a few of them:
Ants do not complain: They act with diligence and cooperation. They do not stand there with their hands on their hips and look at each other, or blame each other, when things are going wrong or things need to be done. Whenever there is work to be done, they act with diligence and cooperation and get the job done.
Ants are futuristic: They always make preparations for the future. They think winter all summer. In life there are going to be good times when things seem easier, goals are being achieved and the sun always seems to be shining. These times don’t last, and ants instinctively understand this, gathering and storing food for the times when winter comes and food is scarce and important.
When things are going well for us, we should not just give ourselves high fives or a pat on the back, rest on our laurels and sit back and relax. We should be planning for the times when things will go wrong and we are feeling stressed. We can do this through continued learning and development, preparing ourselves with the skills that we may need in the future. Saving money for a rainy day is also a great idea that comes from this principle.
They also think summer all winter: When Winter descends on a colony of ants they go underground waiting eagerly for the sun to shine and, when it does, they are immediately back out and about. They seem to have an inbuilt optimism and know that the lean times won’t last forever.
There are times in everyone’s life when things go wrong and not according to plan. There will be disappointments and let-downs, making certain periods of our lives seem like winter. In those times we have the tendency to become pessimistic and sometimes attach permanence to those times. However, what we need to understand is that bad times don’t last forever; bad times always end. Things do get better and summer is coming again. That’s the nature of the seasons! A lesson we could do well to learn.
Ants teach performance: To perform with efficiency there must be a plan. Watching them at first glance at an anthill may appear as if you are just seeing a lot of activity – ants running around everywhere. But that is not so. They have a plan. They are working. We too need to have a clear vision and a plan if we are to accomplish anything. The ants are persistent and hard working creatures. They always have a plan and always work hard to execute it. They only not work hard but smart. They use time wisely. They do not squander their resources. Every part of an ant’s body is used for working, and when a load is too heavy other ants rush to help. Ants are always busy, never lazy, and they never have to make excuses. On the other hand, many of us are active, but we have no plan. We have no vision for the future. We have little if any idea as to what our function is, and which way we are going. As a people we must have a vision and a plan. We must be as wise as the ants if things are to work.
Ants are great communicators: They communicate constantly. This constant communication facilitates the colony’s workflow. We need to develop great communication and listening skills as well. What we learn from the way ants communicate is definitely applicable to how we work. Research has shown that from 50% to as much as 100% of any message is communicated through body language. Careful listening and speaking along with the ability to read and understand body language can build trust and lead to positive interaction with others.
The Ants Work Is A Partnership: Ants know and understand the value of teamwork. They work as a team. They know the power in unity. They work in love and operate in harmony. To perform with efficiency there must be peace.
One of the reasons that ants can get so much accomplished, despite their size and in such a small amount of time, is because of harmony. This is a lesson we need to learn. Psalms 133 verse 1 states, “ Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”.
Ants instinctively know to pull together as a team. They don’t allow egos to get in their way. The ants work is productive. They work toward a common goal. They have an all volunteer service attitude. No guide, yet each ant works. Every ant has a specific task to perform, yet all work jointly to ensure the colony’s welfare. They labour according to their own ability. Thousands of ants may dwell in one ant colony, but everyone of them pulls his own weight!
The ants teach us how critical collaboration is to successful work relationships. Time and energy are wasted trying to prove each other wrong. Acting alone, instead of getting input from team members, can have disastrous results. Collaborative solutions to problems should be found by using common sense and wisdom for the benefit of all.
Every ant knows what to do, and does it without being told. You know how they are able to do it? Each one is responsible! And they are so busy doing what they are supposed to do that they don’t have time to fight among themselves! What about us? Are we prepared to work hard and smart, communicate constantly, and collaborate with each other for the common good of the country? Let us study the ants closely. Let us learn their secrets and we will reap great reward.
Ants never say “can’t”: They never adopt a “We can’t” attitude. That attitude costIsrael 40 years in the wilderness. Do we want to wait another 40 years? What could it cost us? We must move from “We can’t” to “We can” because we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us.
Ants never quit: Quitting is not an option! They never say fail and they never give up! When they are on a mission, they don’t let any obstacle stand in their way. They don’t shrug their shoulders and give up on their goal. They don’t start to feel sorry for themselves and decide that success is not for them. They confront their obstacles and walk around it, over it, through it, or under it, until they achieve their desired outcome.
Ants teach us perseverance. Ants have an amazing ability to survive all kinds of weather. They adapt well no matter the circumstances, and are very resilient. Have you ever noticed how quickly they recover when you destroy one of their colonies. They immediately start to repair the damage done. Ants are not quitters. They persevere. Giving up is never an answer for them. That is a lesson for us as well. There is much work to be done in our homes, our schools, our churches, our communities and in our Nation at large! They are in need of repair. Are we ready and willing to join forces? We have to work together, and pull together or we will pull apart!
It therefore behooves us to adopt life’s lessons from the ants. It is incumbent upon us to do all that lies in our power to reconcile and rebuild our lovely and remarkable nation. Therefore my admonition to us is: Do all we can! If we wantAnguillato flourish – we must do all that we possibly can. If we want to make a contribution to our society – we must do all that we possibly can. If we want to have stronger homes and a stronger nation – we must do all that we possibly can. If we want to raise well-balanced, confident children – we must do all that we possibly can. If we want to feel empowered and resourceful as a people – we must do all that we possibly can.
Life rewards action, so let us think like an ant and go forward! We can get the job done!
