1. They are just working so hard! I mean, how much can they really be doing with ALL those leaves?!?!
2. They don't bite….I think.
3. They are by far the least annoying bugs here.
4. They tell a wonderful story about perseverance that I seem to be constantly reminded of here.
In the grand scheme of the tree by the water tank, the ants are well, small. There are many more things in the "tree" community that have a bigger effect on me. For example…
….the crows.
They wake us up every morning and like to scream at each other even though they are right next to each other.
….the mangos!
I would say they are good to eat, but the goats usually get to them first thing in the morning. Unless you get up at 3:00 am, that is.
…the crows and the mangos.
I think the crows find it funny to try and drop them on me.
But yet, the ants go unnoticed and still they carry on.
For me, I can definitely think of a couple ways that this could be inspiring to a Christian.
– Working hard at your faith
-Working in community to accomplish more
-Support is very important
-You can carry more than you should be able to (with Christ's help that is)
And so on.
But what really strikes me, is the fact that they are unnoticed.
When I work hard, I like to be praised for it. It makes me more likely to want to do it again.
Like, when I am home, it is expected of me to:
Wash clothes
Wash the dishes
Clean my room
So of course, I HATE
Washing clothes
Washing the dishes
Cleaning my room
But here in Nica, I enjoy sweeping the "rrrrancho" in the mornings before the sun comes up and throwing rocks over the cliff and hoeing the grass that seems to grow overnight like Evan Almighty's beard.
Whoa. I'm getting off track. What I am trying to get at is….
Some mornings I want to stop sweeping or stop hoeing that grass until someone is around to watch me do it.
I find myself wanting to be seen doing such great work so I can be praised for it.
No one gives those ants any credit, but they continue on.
They remind me that the praise and acceptance of others is not what is importance.
If it was, those ants would be out of business because I don't know many people who like them.
But they know the reason behind the work.
I am a Child of God who is here to do work for God and his people.
God sees all the work I put in, and also the times when I slack.
(I think there is more of the first than the last, or maybe at least I hope there is…)
So yeah,
For an analogy…
Ants : leaves :: Christian : grace
Maybe it is a little much to explain this too, but I want you to get it 🙂
Ants carry leaves that are twice their body size. The grace that Christians carry is so much larger than us, it is of God.
The work of carrying God's grace every day to wherever it is needed is not easy and it is not always acknowledged, but God sees our work and will reward us for it.
And in the words of Janeé, our leader,
Amen y Amen.
