Below is the text of Pastor Brandon’s podcast, “Wisdom for All of Life”
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the sum- mer, and gathereth her food in the harvest (Prov. 6:6–8).
The ant looks forward into the future. She plans and prepares in light of the coming winter. The sluggard doesnt see past the end of his own nose, or mouth really because he consumes all he has, setting aside nothing in savings. He plays the day away with little to no concern that night is fast approaching. The sluggard says that god will provide while he sleeps. In our society the sluggard says the ant will provide for me…at the point of a governmental gun. And after all I deserve it. Don’t I?
The ant works and from his profits he saves. Saves up real assets in the market, or in food storage, gold and silver or in emergency funds in the bank. What exactly to save is not mentioned here in this proverb ;but the point is that the ant saves up provision for the future. The ant believes in the fall. He knows the world isnt perfect and that he can trust gods word that calamity will occur. So he trusts God and saves.
At the end of the day, the ant is future oriented.
A society that has this future oriented, savings and thrift mindset would be wealthier than the society who lives for the eternal weekend of revelry and consumption.
Now the Bible cautions us about future care, but what is meant by this? Jesus says not to worry about tomorrow but does he mean to throw off the wisdom of Solomon. Is he teaching us to embrace the lifestyle of the sluggard. Of course not. We should not be paralyzed by fear of the future but the main point Jesus and Paul are making is that we must seek first the kingdom even if we can anticipate some opposition. Trust and obey the lord and let him sort out the future. And we certainly Trust and obey him when we imitate the ant by not financially living in the moment, and saving.
Pastor Brandon
