Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise. Without having any chief or officer or ruler, it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest. How long will you lie there, O lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior.

Proverbs 6:5-11

Which are you, a male elephant seal or a small ant? Male elephant seals might weigh 3 tons and move very little their entire life. Because they don’t eat while on land during the breeding season, they sleep most of the time. Besides scratching, dirt-flipping, or rolling over, they seldom move. On the other hand, the ant seems tireless as it goes about its industrious work of storing up food for the colony.

There is a spiritual lesson in comparing the ant and the seal. Christians who pattern their service after the ant get things done for the Lord. But others, like the elephant seal, barely move. They seem to be barely alive spiritually, as if they are conserving energy for some huge effort later on. But the time to get busy for Christ is now, even though our talents may seem insignificant. Which do you imitate, the seal or the ant?

Many Christians do nothing, but no Christian has nothing to do.

Our Daily Bread – January 28, 2005