The best spiritual and practical investment we could ever make would be to march unquestionably to the beat of the ant’s drum.
This subject could very well be at the very root of all progress, spiritual or otherwise. Just how is it that God uses some of the smallest creatures to shame us into returning to the heart of God, which is moral diligence in all our affairs?
The reason, perhaps, is God’s nature is sublimely covert yet it’s obvious also, but never in an ‘in our face’ sort of way.
Self-Motivated Bliss
“Consider the ant, you lazy bum.
Watch its ways, and become wise.
Although it has no overseer, officer, or ruler,
in summertime it stores its food supply.
At harvest time it gathers its food.”
~Proverbs 6:6-8 (GOD’S WORD Translation).
Whilst the top line is rather terse, it communicates that thing about all of us that is inherently true. We all like to find the easy way to do things. No matter what we do we can’t change this inbuilt nature to want to wander from the right way of doing things.
The ant is an amazing creature. It will do what’s required of it, day in, day out, and not a single order is given. It does its duty without so much as the gentlest prod or goad.
How much better would our lives be if we did everything because we just loved doing it?
In this, we’d have resolved any of the de-motivating aspects of our activities, boiling them into pot of good, for there’s no other virtuous way than the way of joy. Any other way but joy in all we do, and we all know this very well, is drudgery... and that’s plain missing the mark that God’s got for us all, in the project that is living our lives.
The Choral Crescendo
Just about everything morally-good stems from diligence.
If we’re diligent we’re thankful; we can learn... hence we pick up on intuition, insight, sincerity, and understanding; in sum, prudence. Our moral diligence compels our hearts to love, to forgive when necessary, to do the work required of us, whatever it means. Diligence powers our courage and indwells our faith, never resting in fear.
Diligence also brings home the aspects of trust and respect—vital relational components, critical especially for communication, the nexus of community.
Diligence, finally (and this is no enlarged excursus on diligence... just a passing comment), is appropriate balance—indeed, it is perfect balance. And, therefore, diligence is last of all (for here), peace.
Peace – the Apex of Spirituality
Peace we can rest in, eternally. Peace is the outcome we’re all looking for. The vision of peace commenced with diligence.
If diligence was our starting relay runner – peace is the one taking our final runner over the finish line in winning position.
© 2010 S. J. Wickham.
No comments:
Post a Comment