Big Lessons From Small Creatures

December 23

Zechariah 1-2

Psalm 145:14-16

Proverbs 30:24-28

Revelation 14:15-20

Big Lessons From Small Creatures

“Four things on Earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:  Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;  hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locust have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.” 

Proverbs 30:24-28  NIV

Solomon used these small, insignificant creatures to illustrate that even the smallest things can teach valuable lessons because God’s wisdom is found in His creation.  Ants are tiny and weak and yet they demonstrate wisdom because they work hard all summer to prepare for winter.  They leave their ant hill and go relatively long distances to find food and then they make numerous trips back and forth to bring the food back.  They work together to collect food for their community and they are not lazy.  They teach us the importance of planning ahead and working together to ensure that you have provision for future challenges.  They also show us the value of hard work and diligence.  Hyraxes are small mammals found in Africa and the Middle East.  They often live in rocky areas and find shelter in the crags and crevices of the rocks.  They have rubbery pads on their feet that allow them to climb and move quickly to get away from predators.  They also live in colonies and communicate with each other with a variety of whistles and shrieks.  The hyrax teaches us the importance of knowing where our security lies and finding refuge in God who provides the strength and protection we need in any situation.  They live in community and understand that there is safety in numbers.  As believers it is important that we understand that we were meant for community.  The Body of Christ should provide refuge and protection from the darkness and evil of the world around us. 

Locusts, though they do not have a king, advance together in unity.  They also teach us the value of community, cooperation and working together to accomplish common goals.  Though individually they are small and insignificant, together they are able to wreak a lot of havoc.  Finally, the lizard is a small reptile that can be caught easily, but it is also capable of finding its way into anywhere, even the kings’ palace.  They are not limited by their circumstances.  They don’t consider whether the hole they want to enter leads to a tiny house or a palace.  They just follow the hole where it leads them and they don’t give up.  When they run into a wall, they turn around and look for another way around.  They just keep going and keep pressing on.  As believers we need to persevere.  We cannot give up no matter what circumstances we face.  We just keep pushing forward doing what God calls us to do not worrying about where we will end up.  We can trust that He will lead us where we need to go.