The ant or the lily...

Matthew 6 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Lately I have been thinking that maybe the old children’s classic “The Ant and the Grasshopper” ought to be “The Ant or the Lily”. I am really struggling with finding the balance of waiting on the Lord, listening, and taking action- doing something. I mean in the epitome of human wisdom there are some pretty commanding ideas. “If you want something done, do it yourself.” “There’s no time like the present.” “You reap what you sow.” “Perspiration is the foundation for inspiration.” We respect hard work. We admire go-getters that get it done. We like to ‘do’ something. So how do lilies and birds fit in here?

As a woman, I know if forced to pick between being an ant or a lily, well, not working and being beautiful is a pretty good combination (and I never did learn how to make my own clothes). Ants do seem to always be scurrying about, working, searching for this or that, carrying it back home, only to repeat the cycle again. That does sound like most of the lives I know. Matter of fact, I’m not sure I know any lilies; just relaxing, soaking in the sun, being all glorious. Birds in my perspective fit somewhere in between. They at least look graceful flying around and stop long enough to sing now and then.

I guess God knew we would be compelled to do something, so He did give us an objective: Something to ‘do’. (verse 33) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously. What do I tend to seek on my own whims? I seek money. I seek friendship. I seek control. I seek security. I seek comfort. I seek to buy low and sell high. I seek to look glorious. I seek intelligence. I seek wisdom. I seek happiness. I seek love. I seek joy. I seek beauty. A mixed bag- some being of higher importance than others, and some seeming more attainable than others. But the truly important ones when I really think about it do come from God. So why do I seek for myself wisdom, beauty, love, provision and joy? Why not directly petition the source?

Live righteously. Now that one is a no-brainer. Who’s mama ever told them- “Do wrong and you will be better off for it.”? We know that doing right is better. It’s just that doing right is sometimes self-sacrificing. It’s sometimes inconvenient. It’s sometimes just downright difficult to do right. If you have any family or daily relationships, you should know this- they just don’t always do right, and neither do we…

So we are forced once again to realize the impossibility of the standards set by our loving savior Jesus Christ. Which hopefully will once again help us turn back to him and say “help.”

Lord, Have mercy on me a sinner. Help me seek You first when I am tempted to seek other sources. Help me do right. Help me soak in Your ‘son’ and radiate a little of Your glory today so others can remember to seek You as well. Help me remember as I scurry, work, and search for this or that, that this is just a temporary home, not meant to be my security or my source. Bring out the lily in me today.