Ant Arrogance

Ant Arrogance

What ants do best

In the jungle an army of ants work diligently on their hill, building and adding to their nest. Work is what ants do best, gathering what is needed to house and feed themselves. On this particular day, nothing was different until something was. 

Back to work

No One can stop us now

Off in the distance, the reverberation of heavy footsteps shakes the earth, causing gentle tremors near the hill. The ants bounce with every step, and in unison they lift their heads in a brief moment of listening and acknowledging: something is heading in our direction and it is large. Nonplussed and with single minded focus and drive, they return to their tasks of building and storing: back to work.

Thudding foot

With their unstoppable work ethic, the ants continue gathering, building, searching for and finding all they need for safety and sustenance. Move this here, shove that over there. Follow the path, pick up this and relocate that; the ants are on the move and their diligent teamwork pays off. They are not to be distracted from the tasks at hand, and all the while, the heavy thudding foot landings become more palpable, and undeniably close ... until suddenly, it was upon them. 

Thunderous culprit

There, in full view, appears the earth and ant moving thunderous culprit. An enormous elephant. Too busy and undaunted, the ants continue their work. Collect, connect, redirect, transport, establish, find, place, unearth. Looking up to see what the massive animal in their midst might do next does not occur to them; then the unanticipated happens. With one well placed foot plant, countless hours of work are for naught and the ant hill is destroyed. This has the ants that have by their good fortune, avoided being crushed, scurrying furiously, outraged by this assault on their sensibilities. How dare it? How dare this thing disrupt our work? they thought, if ants could think that is. 

They climb quickly

Enraged, the ants quickly react and en masse, take action to make the elephant pay for this indecent, culpable assault. They rally, encourage one another to climb the mighty beast and attack, bring the elephant down and kill him. They climb quickly with many making it to the top, determined in their quest. They have the elephant where they want him, and avenging themselves gives them angry energy. They will have their pound of elephant flesh if it is the last thing they do. The elephant notices very little, if anything at all, in fact ...

One ant remains

Feeling a slight tickle, the elephant nonchalantly swings his majestic head, back and forth, flinging the tiny ants hither, thither, and yon. What does an elephant know of ants? What does an elephant care, if ants rampage against him? Teeny tiny tortures are lost on mighty elephants: no matter the number of the ant army, elephants cannot be impressed. The elephant head swings manage to dislodge the ants that have climbed as high as his neck. All but one ant remains, clinging desperately to his post, the elephants throat ... 

"What shall I do?", the lone ant shouts down for instruction from his fellow fallen ants. The ants on the ground shake their tiny heads, slightly concussed from their drop from glory. The hard earth met them in their fall, and once the stars cleared from their tiny brains, they recalled their rage and of one accord they shout "Strangle him, STRANGLE HIM".

Writers note

This little story made me laugh heartily with the ridiculousness of the mental picture of a solo assault ant attempting to strangle an elephant. A family friend told us this joke during a dinner party, and it has remained with me for countless years. 

Yesterday while listening to one of my favourite preachers, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, I laughed at his attitudinal quick wittedness. Stay with me here, I will make a connection. One of the most commonly heard criticisms and excuses for not believing in God is His allowance for suffering in this world. It's the old "if I were God, I would do this or that", blah blah blah. 

Vernon's question and response to those who don't like God's performance and feel confident enough to verbalize complaints is: "What are you going to do about it?" 

God

Dear reader, you and I, we are the ants. I shake my head in disbelief at our arrogance. Think of the ant, searching to find food that he will eat but has not made. He looks for building materials to place on and in his shelter, finding these too, conveniently located for his retrieval and usage. None of it his, all of it borrowed from here, over there, everywhere. God as the powerful Elephant in this metaphor can place His heavy cosmic foot wherever and whenever He pleases, right on your little ant hill castle. 

The Ruler of the Universe

• Do you, do I, dare to arrogantly suggest that The Ruler of the Universe do anything other than exactly what He is currently doing? 
• Are you a would be God assassin, with your turned up nose and slanderous words, challenging His might and right to do as He pleases? 

Little fellow ant, you are nothing and no-one without Him. Your castle is build based on His provision, and He can do with it, and you, whatever He wishes, with or without warning. 

"Strangle Him!" ... Not a chance!