Turning Obstacles into an Advantage
Proverb 6:6-8
“Go to the ant you slacker! Observe it’s ways and become wise. Without a leader, administrator or ruler it prepares its provisions in the summer and gathers its food during harvest."
Food
As the head of the household, worker ants must provide and protect their young, their queen, and their home. They must leave their warm, comfortable nest to collect the resources needed to support their young. For an ant, the right tree can be a promising resource hub. Ahead of them are two important tasks. First, they must climb up the tree to find the aphids. They will negotiate with the aphids for honeydew in exchange for protection against aphid predators. The ants rub their antennae against the aphids to initiate the transaction and the aphids, in turn convert the tree sap their feasting on into honeydew. The aphids provide food for the ants because they are grateful for their protection. The honeydew is stored up in their abdomen, to be later fed to the young larvae.
Sanitation
The second task is to collect tree resin, a gum-like substance meant for sealing entrances on the tree. They must move the large resin ball back to the nest for sanitation purposes. The tree resin combined with the ant's acid makes for a strong antibiotic. The antibiotics fight fungi, infection, and other diseases that could harm their offspring.
Re-framing your Obstacles
The tree is a deep-rooted obstacle providing strength. The aphids are social obstacles providing resources. The tree resin is an environmental obstacle providing health. Take a moment to observe your life, where are the physical, social and environmental obstacles in your life? How can you turn those obstacles into an advantage? When the ants see the tree, they don’t say, “ugh, such a steep climb, a needy friend, and a large ball of resin"...they see food, medicine, energy, and life.Some people are hard workers, but they struggle to notice the portals surrounding the obstacle. Portals alter your perspective. They change how you might perceive the old puzzle. How will you view the obstacles? Are you climbing a steep tree, or are you improving your health? Are you wasting your time getting along with ignorant people, or are you improving your negotiating skills? Do you view cleaning your home as a burden, or an opportunity to provide the optimal environment? Each obstacle presents a path of improvement if you really look.
The Lack of Wisdom
If you don’t “look” you will claim to “already know," making no adjustment. If you don't look, your approach becomes a repeat of the same song like a broken tape recorder. Although your lips express optimism, In your heart, an obstacle is something to avoid. For you, absent is the careful thinking and problem-solving it takes to convert a plan into action—a plan to analyze the nature of an obstacle and extract the future possibilities for success. Do not choose to repeat the honeymoon optimism song while continuing the monotonous routine of jogging in place to keep up.
"Without wisdom, a hard worker is like a mouse moving towards freedom on an ever-turning wheel in an imaginary cage."
Ask yourself?
What journey will you embark on?What tree will you climb?What is your role?How will you Labor?What do you stand for?What will you protect?How will you negotiate with your future self?