Christian Living

---

The Builder’s Hands
Hands hold the helm that guides the ship. If it is not guided right, the ship will flounder on the crags and shoals. Proverbs 31:27 and Ecclesiastes 10:18 talk about industrious hands and idle hands. “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness....By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.” A wise builder employs her hands in useful service.

God gives the ant as an example of a wise woman. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?...Yet a little sleep…: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 6:6-11). Have you ever watched the ants? They encounter an object too heavy for one ant. What do they do? Give up? No, they beckon other ants and together they carry big loads.

Once I spied a strange creature with two long antennas. What was it? I took a closer look. This ant carried two blades of grass twice as long as its length. Perhaps it used them in its nest. This busy creature prepared itself for the winter.

Did you ever see a lazy ant? Not unless it was sick unto death or fatally wounded. If sailors do not take care of their ship, it will develop leaks and sink. If your ship starts sinking, take a lesson from the ant.

When does the ant gather food? At the time of harvest when it can find food plentiful. The Word of God furnishes our spiritual food. When the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, they gathered manna daily. “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no” (Exodus 16:4). Gather the manna of God’s Word daily.

Do ants sleep in time of harvest? No, watch a colony of ants. They are busy creatures. Sleep instead of working and poverty will come. What happens if we sleep when the time comes to harvest souls? Will we reap any fruit? No, we work at it or our life bears no fruit. It resembles a ship with no food on board.

Ants are industrious, not idle. Proverbs has much to say about idle hands. It also speaks of diligent hands. “He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. ...Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established” (Proverbs 11:27; 24:3).

Some ants gathered their food in my house. Sugar ants devoured my cake. They stole my peanut butter. They nested in my blankets. They hid in my multi-colored dress. Ouch! Those little fire ants sting.

Picture a big ship with oars. Can one person manage the ship? No, several sailors row in rhythm. Together they guide the ship to its designation. One believer cannot handle all the work alone. However, if we each paddle our oars together, we will reach the goal.

Excerpt from Our Lifeship: Studies in Proverbs for Women, published by Ambassador-Emerald, C 2008, Lynn Wallace, for more information about the author and this book see Lynn's website, www.writingfrommyheart.com

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE