"Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces." Proverbs 30:24-28
Writing some 2,600 years ago, a man named Agar points our minds to four small creatures to make four big points. His thought is that these creatures -- while small and seemingly insignificant -- serve to direct us to the road of wisdom. We will consider the ant, rock badger, locust, and lizard.
In part one, we learned the lesson of the ant. If the ant waits until winter to look for food, it will starve to death. Similarly, if you wait until the temptation comes to know God's Word, you will be in trouble. Instead, learn the lesson of the ant and enjoy today by preparing for tomorrow. Learn about God now. Establish your faith in God and His Word today. Put simply, prepare yourself today for what you may need tomorrow.
In part two, we learned the lesson of the rock badger. He lives among the rocks and seeks refuge in secure places. So many people try to find their security in the pleasures of this world and they soon find out that the things on which they have built their life cannot support them in their hour of greatest need. We need to learn the lesson of the rock badger to find our safety and security in the right place.
Today we consider the locust. One little locust by himself will not harm you. Sure, it may make you scream if it startles you, but it poses no real threat. When a massive swarm of them unite together, though, the results can be devastating.
In the Ancient Near East, the locusts generally bred in the region south of Egypt and migrated north in February or March. The locusts swarms could cover up to 400 square miles, each square mile containing over 100 million insects, each of which usually consumes its own weight each day.
The lesson is clear: there is great power in unity, and we are much stronger together with others. As Christians, we must be willing to stand alone but should seek to live in community with other believers. The life of following Christ is always a personal relationship, but it is not meant to be lived in isolation.
Do not live your life by yourself. There is power when God's people unite together and live as a family, all encouraging each other to live for Jesus and to magnify the name of our Savior. There is great strength that comes from an army of Christians who are committed to moving in the same direction and for the same purpose. As has been written, "The man who attempts Christianity without the church shoots himself in the foot, shoots his children in the leg, and shoots his grandchildren in the heart" (Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness). We need each other!
So, if we learn the lesson of the ant, we too will learn the discipline of preparation.
If we learn the lesson of the rock badger, we too will seek security in the right place.
And if we learn the lesson of the locusts, we will live in unity with others and move in power.
*check back in the days to come for part 4
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