06/11/2026
Proverbs 6:6-8 -
6 Go watch the ants, you lazy person. Watch what they do and be wise.
7 Ants have no commander, no leader or ruler,
8 but they store up food in the summer and gather their supplies at harvest.
In Proverbs 6:6- The writer, Solomon (who is recognized as the wisest person of his time and even ours) says, “look at the ant and be wise”. What can we learn from the ant? This verse always baffles me. He didn’t say look at the lion, tiger, dolphin, or owl. Animals that are known to be dominant or wise. No! He says look at an insect and one of the smallest, the ant.
The ant alone can accomplish very little. However, together as a team it appears nothing can be impossible for them. They can create their own world in the form of a colony, which can be as big as 6-7 ft tall and 3-4 ft wide. One ant can carry up to 20 times their own weight, but together can carry up to 100 times their weight. They can store enough food for a winter to feed 306 million ants. When ants unify, and work together they can accomplish anything.
Now this is starting to make sense. Lets see what we can learn from the ant:
Good work ethic: Ants make use of every moment that they have. In verse 7 it says having no overseer or ruler they provide meat for summer and gather food for the harvest. The ant WORKS and WORKS hard with no one telling them to do so. Some of the most successful people I know are not exactly the smartest in their respected field or have the most talent, but have great work ethic. A strong work ethic energizes you and your colleagues to face your challenges head-on, be your best and keep you at the top of your game.
Determination: Winter can come early and stay late, no matter the problem or condition, it doesn’t slow down the ant. Its about survival. If the colony isn't built big enough to house them and if they have not gathered enough food, it becomes life or death for some ants, but that never happens. Year in and year out they seem to ALWAYS be prepared, due to their great work ethic and determination.
Team work and Unity: Was I the only one that was amazed by how 2 ants can carry up to 100 times their weight? Ants don’t just leave their “fellow ants“ alone when carrying huge objects, they help each other, making it possible for them to achieve their goals. When we apply this kind of team work to our business it can make the our process seem effortless.
Organized: Have you ever seen ants confused when carrying food? When I was younger I remember watching in amazement on how organized they were as they marched off with one of my cheetos. They knew exactly where they were going. One wasn’t trying to go one way while the other two had their own agenda. They were organized and had the same goal. The term "ant colony" describes not only the physical structure in which ants live, but also the social rules by which ants organize themselves and the work they do.
We are approaching that time of year when we begin to ask those self-examining questions. How can I be better? How do I increase next year from this year? What can I do? What should I do? I would say the same thing that Solomon said, “ Look to, examine the life of the ant” and then ask yourself, do I have great work ethic? Am I determined? Do I work well with others and help others succeed or is it only about me? Can I be more organized ?
God has created the vast universe, including massive galaxies, our solar system, and complex ecosystems. Yet He chose the seemingly insignificant ant—a tiny six-legged creature to teach us important lessons in how to overcome laziness
