“Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.” (Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

If ants were larger, or capable of self-reflection we’d be in trouble. They greatly outnumber us. It’s not even close. And they’re really strong. And organized. They work really well as a unit. They would take over quickly if they could. It’s bad enough stepping on a fire ant hill! Thankfully, God designed them to be not much of a threat. But they do offer an object lesson, one that Solomon uses here to call us to the wisdom of hard work. Let’s take a look.

This is one of those passages where it would be easy to get hung up on the wrong thing. Let’s clear that up right out of the gate here. These verses do not off us an argument for the political philosophy of libertarianism. It is perhaps tempting to gravitate some in that direction when Solomon talks about all the ants accomplish “without leader, administrator, or ruler,” but that’s not at all what his point is.

Solomon here is talking about work. Work is something that often gets a bad rap in our world. American culture in particular has an interesting relationship with work. We were brought into existence on the back of what is sometimes called the “Puritan work ethic.” That is, we were founded by a tribe of people who worked hard. As a nation, we work more and longer hours than many other nations, especially in the Western world. At the same time, the last couple of generations have learned to hate work.

Songs like, “Working for the Weekend” drove into the hearts and minds of Millennial children that work is just a necessary evil that allows us to get to the real goal of recreation. We only work to pay the bills and to fund our habits. We go into debt to buy more toys and have more experiences. Work simultaneously enables and gets in the way of all of this. We need work, but we hate work.

I was listening to a young man the other day talk about how he doesn’t trust the government at all, and doesn’t think we should have to invest money for the future. He espoused that it made no sense to him at all to give the money we earn to someone else to invest for us such that we can’t touch it until we retire. We should just be able to keep all of our money now, but also somehow get money in the future when we need it. The young man has a good job and works hard, but has absolutely zero concept of how finances work and what the worth of his work is beyond merely enabling him to do the things he wants to do now.

What our nation and especially the Millennial generation, as well as generations Z and Alpha, needs is a bit more of the wisdom of Solomon. Work is not a necessary evil. It is a gift from God. Work existed before sin did. Work was an invitation into being an image bearer of God who is thoroughly invested in the work of creation and sustaining what He has made by His faithful, loving care and kindness. It was an opportunity for we who uniquely bear His image to take part in His creation project with Him, thus opening the doors to our enjoying the satisfaction of good labors.

The lesson Solomon offers from the ant really is one worth learning. Ants work hard and don’t need anyone to motivate them to do it. Theirs is an instinctual, internal motivation. They work because it is necessary, but also because it is good and glorifies the God who made them. By their work they create and accomplish incredible things. So too can we by our own hard work if we are willing to give it.

The Scriptures as a whole are abundantly clear about God’s preference for hard work. Yes, we need to have a balance of rest in our work, but work is the dominant element. With our work we exercise our role as God’s stewards of His creation. We put to use the gifts He has given us. We advance the cause of justice and righteousness. We care for those who are genuinely in need. We build His kingdom day by day.

To speak more directly to a modern temptation encouraged by a resurgent Marxism, we banish any thought of envy, because we are able to acquire for ourselves by our labors the things we need not merely to survive, but to thrive. We don’t need to worry about forcing others by government action to give up what they have earned by their labors because we are able to provide what we need by our labors. And when we combine their efforts with ours, everyone has more together.

When we turn from work, though, that’s when disaster strikes. That’s when poverty springs on us. It may not dump on our heads right away, but it will come. Like any financial disaster, it will come slow and then fast. This is exactly what Solomon warns us about here. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.” When we discourage work as a society, we sow the seeds of our own ruin.

What we need is a renaissance of work in our culture. This is not the same thing as drifting back into the workaholism and empty striving of a generation ago. We need to celebrate work; hard work. We need to rejoice together in examples of people plying their trade faithfully and intentionally and experiencing the success that comes from such efforts. We need to celebrate even more the generosity such efforts allow to be unleashed by those who are committed to being faithful with the Lord’s reward for our faithfulness to His call and command. Indeed, we tend to get more of what we celebrate as a people. If we celebrate hard work and sacrificial generosity, that’s exactly what we will see to the betterment of everyone.

So, as you get started on this Monday morning, work hard today. Work hard this week. Work hard to the glory of God. You won’t regret it.