Some ants live in super colonies that contain more than 300 million individuals.
Wisdom Verse:
“The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer.” —Proverbs 30:25.
Perhaps you have heard of the famous “parasol” or “leaf-cutter” ants that make gardens and raise their own crops! These amazing creatures are often seen walking in processions, each one holding a piece of green leaf above its head! These bits of green leaf are not for food, but are taken to their nests and made into a compost soil—for these ants are actually farmers. They deliberately sow, prune, fertilize, weed, harvest, and store a fungus crop as carefully as any gardener tends his vegetables.
Some ants living in Texas clear a “field” of one or two square yards and then plant rice. They lay out the rice in beds with pathways running among the plants, and they keep their rice fields carefully weeded. When the rice seeds ripen, the ants harvest them, remove the husks, and store the kernels for food. Later, the ants with very large jaws crack the seeds and crush the kernels into meal for the rest of the ants. If the rice gets damp and is in danger of spoiling, other ants have the sole responsibility of carrying the damp grain out into the sunshine for drying.

There are thousands of amazing scenarios to be found among the roughly 10,000 species of ants on earth, and probably many thousands of lessons to be learned from this tiny creature. In fact, the Bible calls the lowly ant, which typically prepares in advance for the colder months, “exceedingly wise.”

It’s important for us to store the bread of life in our minds and be prepared in advance when it comes to our relationship with God. As a Christian, you always need to “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV). And we should be “sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Most important, we need to be prepared to meet the Lord when He returns. In Jesus’ story of the wise and foolish virgins, only five of them carried extra oil along with them and were ready to meet the bridegroom when He arrived at an unexpected hour. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2, 3). The Lord has prepared to receive us into His awesome presence. Are we prepared to go home with Him?

Father in heaven, give me the oil of your Holy Spirit and make me wise. Help me be prepared to meet my Savior at His soon return.

There are many lessons we can learn from the ants.