The wisdom of small things
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WORDS OF WISDOM
WORDS OF WISDOM
INTRODUCTION
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT MANY TIMES YOU FIND YOURSELF HAVING TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING AND DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, THERE IS USUALLY SOMETHING YOU CAN OBSERVE. I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE AND I OBSERVED A SPIDER PATIENTLY MAKING A WEB. I WAS REMINDED OF THE SCRIPTURES IN PROVERBS THAT TELLS US THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE SMALL THINGS IN LIFE.
Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Proverbs 30:
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ANTS SLIDE
ANTS - HAVE A SOCIAL ORGANISATIONAL SKILL
the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
SOCIAL CAN CHANGE THEIR ENVIRONMENT
SOCIAL BEINGS CAN CHANGE THEIR ENVIRONMENT
social organizational skill
social organizational skill
WE CAN’T LIVE ALONE WE NEED EACH OTHER
WORK TOGETHER.
1. Ants Aren’t Intimidated by the Size of Their Workload
1. Ants Aren’t Intimidated by the Size of Their Workload
THEY WILL CARRY A BREADCRUMB MANY TIMES THEIR SIZE
Ants Aren’t Intimidated by the Size of Their Workload
Ants Aren’t Intimidated by the Size of Their Workload
THEY WILL CARRY A BREADCRUMB MANY TIMES THEIR SIZE
We certainly cant allow the fact that there are so many unsaved people around to paralyse us into doing nothing
Workload
2. Ants Value Teamwork
WHEN THE LOAD IS TOO MUCH THEY COMBINE AND GET THE WORK DONE
3. Ants Are Organized
Ants Are Organized
THEY HAVE GOALS AND THE WHOLE COLONY WORKS TOWARD THE SAME GOAL IN AN ORGANISED WAY
THEY HAVE GOALS AND THE WHOLE COLONY WORKS TOWARD THE SAME GOAL IN AN ORGANISED WAY
4. Ants Save for Rainy Days
THEY WILL STORE FOOD FOR THE LEAN TIMES
They make provision for all to benefit
5. Ants Get the Job Done
THEY DO NOT STOP HALF WAY OR GIVE UP PART WAY INTO A JOB AND THEN COME BACK TO IT LATER - THEY SEE THE JOB COMPLETED.
THEY DOT ALLOW OBSTACLES TO DETER THEM FROM GETTING THE JOB DONE
TELL STORY OF HOW YOU WOULD USE POWDER TO CREATE OBSTACLES FOR ANTS.
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ROCK BADGER
ROCK BADGERS / CONEY / DASSIE
the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
EXCEEDINGLY WISE
NOT AGGRESSIVE
LOOK LIKE ROCK RATS
ACTUALLY SHY
THEY KNOW 2 THINGS
THEY LIVE IN COLONIES OF UP TO 50
THEY MAKE 20 DIFFERENT SOUNDS - DECLARE THIER TERRITORIES
BABIES ARE COMFORTABLE AFTER AN HOUR OF BIRTH
THEY KNOW THERE IS AN ENEMY AND HE IS REAL
EPHESIANS SLIDE
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For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
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THEY KNOW 2 THINGS
THEY KNOW THERE IS AN ENEMY AND HE IS REAL
1. THEY KNOW THEIR WEAKNESS
SMALL
NO SHARP CLAWS
NOT MUCH STRENGTH
DON’T REALLY STAND A CHANCE AGAINST THE PREDATORS
THEY ONLY GO OUT ABOUT 150 M FROM THEIR HOMES
THEY HAVE A SENTRY POSTED
LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER
2. THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR SECURITY IS -
SCRIPTURE SLIDE MATTHEW 7
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
THEY HAVE A ROCK FOR SECURITY
THE ROCK IS THEIR DEFENCE AND STRENGTH
WHEN THEY WONDER OFF THEY BECOME VULNERABLE
APART FROM THE ROCK THEY ARE NOTHING
RUN TO THE ROCK!!!
THEY LOOK LIKE THE ROCK - THEY BLEND IN WITH THE ROCK
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
THEIR DWELLING PLACE ARE THE ROCKS
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:
PSALM
1. THEY KNOW THEIR WEAKNESS
ACTUALLY SHY
THEY KNOW 2 THINGS
THEY LIVE IN COLONIES OF UP TO 50
THEY MAKE 20 DIFFERENT SOUNDS - DECLARE THIER TERRITORIES
BABIES ARE COMFORTABLE AFTER AN HOUR OF BIRTH
1. THEY KNOW THEIR WEAKNESS
SMALL
NO SHARP CLAWS
NOT MUCH STRENGTH
DON’T REALLY STAND A CHANCE AGAINST THE PREDATORS
THEY ONLY GO OUT ABOUT 150 M FROM THEIR HOMES
THEY HAVE A SENTRY POSTED
LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER
2. THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR SECURITY IS
THEY HAVE A ROCK FOR SECURITY
THE ROCK IS THEIR DEFENCE AND STRENGTH
WHEN THEY WONDER OFF THEY BECOME VULNERABLE
APART FROM THE ROCK THEY ARE NOTHING
RUN TO THE ROCK!!!
THEY LOOK LIKE THE ROCK - THEY BLEND IN WITH THE ROCK
THEIR DWELLING PLACE ARE THE ROCKS
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
EPHESIANS 5:1
The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
THEY LIVE IN COLONIES OF UP TO 50
THEY MAKE 20 DIFFERENT SOUNDS - DECLARE THIER TERRITORIES
BABIES ARE COMFORTABLE AFTER AN HOUR OF BIRTH
THE ROCK BADGER STARTS THE DAY OFF BASKING IN THE SUN AND THEN THEY START THE DAY.
EAGLES AND VULTURES WILL FLY INTO THE SUN AND SWOOP DOWN ON THE BADGER.
INSIGHT TO SPOT THE ENEMY - THE ROCK BADGER HAS A FILTER THAT ENABLES THEM TO SEE THE ENEMY THROUGH THE LIGHT.
THEY LOVE THE ROCK AND THE ROCK IS THEIR DWELLING PLACE.
THEY ARE NOT AFRAID THEY LOVE THE ROCK
THEIR DWELLING PLACE ARE THE ROCKS
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LOCUSTS
the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
A desert locust swarm can be 460 square miles in size and pack between 40 and 80 million locusts into less than half a square mile.
Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day, so a swarm of such size would eat 423 million pounds of plants every day.
ADULT EATS ITS OWN BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY
CONSUME TONS OF VEGETATION
THEY HAVE NO KING OR LEADER AS WE SEE IN THE CANADIAN GEESE, OR A PRIDE OF LIONS.
THEY ALL GO OUT IN RANKS
THIS VERSE DOES NOT REFER TO THE DEVASTATION BUT RATHER THE UNITY
WHEN FLYING IN THE SWARM THEY EACH KEEP THEIR APPOINTED PLACE SO EXACTLY. THEY LOOK LIKE PERFECTLY PLACED STONES OR TILES
WHEN THEY BAND TOGETHER SERETONIN INCREASES (Tryptophan gets converted into serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood and behaviour.
ONE LOCUST MAY NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT WHEN THEY PUT THEIR COMBINED ABILITIES TOGETHER EVERYONE BENEFITS
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
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LIZARD
the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
SOME TRANSLATIONS SPEAK OF LIZARDS AND OTHERS MENTION SPIDERS, BUT WE CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM BOTH OF THESE
Locusts move more randomly when they don’t have near neighbours.
LIZARDS ARE NOT EXACTLY THE KIND OF PET YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE.
GROWING UP IN AFRICA IT WAS A NORMAL SIGHT FOR US TO SEE GECKO’S COME INTO THE HOUSE AT NIGHT AND SIT ON TOP OF THE WALL. THEY CAME IN TO EAT AS WELL. THEY FED ON THE SPIDERS AND THE FLIES AND MOSQUITOES.
I CAN REMEMBER AS A KID IT WAS A BIG THING FOR US TO CATCH GEKOS, I NEVER WANTED TO LOOK WEAK SO I WOULD ALWAYS DO IT IF DARED.
HOWEVER THERE WAS ONE MORE THING WE DID THAT WAS NOT SO NICE
When a predator catches a lizard by its tail, the lizard lets go of its tail and runs away to safety. WE USED TO TRY CATCH THE GEKOS AND THEN BE AMAZED AT HOW THEY SCURRIED AWAY TAILLESS.
The ability of the lizard to let go of its tail, confuses the predator and the lizard takes this opportunity to escape. As a believer, the enemy will come in various ways to stop you from reaching your destiny. He will create hindrances and hurdles along your path.
If you have the ability to discern the working of the devil and be able to let go of the criticism, annoyances, distractions and offences that come your way; if you train yourself like the lizard to let go of these which can prevent you from going forward, you will learn to survive and thrive. Are you caught up with petty strife’s that hinder you and make you lose focus of your eternal destiny?
The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?
A lizard never stops growing, it sheds its skin when it has outgrown it. Are you able to shed off old habits as you learn to mature in Jesus Christ? Are you ready to renew your mind and grow in holiness? Like a lizard, are you willing to grow and let go?
ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO OBSERVE HERE IS THAT THE LIZARD IS COMFORTABLE IN THE KINGS PALACE, THEY ARE OK TO BE AMONGST THE BEST OF THE BEST.
GOD HAS PREPARED A PALACE FOR US - YET WE SEEM TO BE HAPPY IN 4TH CLASS.
THEY ARE PEACEFUL
THEY ARE SURVIVORS
THEY ARE COURAGEOUS
EVEN IF IT MEANS LOSING A PART OF THEMSELVES THEY STILL COME BACK AND GROW SOME MORE.
YOU SEE THE LIZARD THEY GROW THEIR TAIL BACK, THEY EMERGE THE VICTORS NOT VICTIMS.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
WHAT ARE WE LEARNING FROM THESE EXCEEDINGLY WISE THINGS TODAY:
PREPARE PLAN WORK OUT OUR SALVATION
ENJOY THE PROTECTION OF THE ROCK
BE UNIFIED - PARTNER TOGETHER
4. ACCEPT YOUR POSITION
WE ARE CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
