Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!
They labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. Proverbs 6:6-9
Preparation applies to lots of life situations. A semi-annual visit to the dentist, helps head off future decay, gum disease, and a host of other things. And dental health influences other medical situations. A periodic visit to one’s insurance agent, makes sure that past levels of insurance will address current losses. And a regular car maintenance extends the life of one’s automobile.
This comes up in Proverbs in the description of the ants who prepare for winter by storing up food. Not eating all their stores in the present so that there is nothing left for the future.
I used to have a neighbor, pre-housing collapse, who “owned” the house across the street from mine. He was constantly drawing equity out of his house to use on toys like boats, guns, fishing gear, and such. When housing value collapsed our city was called “Ground Zero” by the press. No longer having any equity to play with he walked away from his mortgage and his house.
Paul told his young mentee, Timothy, that he should live in a way that increased his wisdom and skill in life, as well as in his knowledge of God’s will. 2 Timothy 4:2. You could call the three years of Jesus’ companionship with the twelve apostles was a time of preparation for the time when Jesus’ would not be present with him.
Back to the ants. They are not procrastinators; the work diligently to insure their future stores of food when they cannot work and harvest. It is a good way to live.
Prayer: We have many opportunities to prepare our lives for the future, O God. By the value choices we make. By the disciplines we keep. And by the perseverance we pursue. Please help us to be ready when time is full, and your kingdom is present for all those who have given their lives for it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.