Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
The ant is one of the hardest-working insects. As little as the ant is, it is amazing how much it accomplishes. God is so impressed with the ant that He commands the sluggard to consider the ways of the ant. If one considered her ways, there are many things one can learn. Let us consider the ways of the ant so we can apply them to our work ethic.
First, the ant needs no guide to tell it how to do what it needs to do; it just figures out a way to get it done. The best worker is the one who doesn’t always have to be told how to do something, but they use their brain to figure out how to get things done. Most workplaces are filled with people working while their brain is asleep. You are not needed if someone has to guide you every time you do something on the job. A little common sense will go a long ways on the job by thinking about what needs to be done and how to do it without anyone telling you how to do it. You could accomplish much more on the job if you used your brain to figure out how to do things and to do them more efficiently.
Second, the ant needs no overseer to look over their should to make sure they are working. You are a terrible worker if someone always has to look over your shoulder to make you work. I am not saying that people don't work, but many only work hard once the boss comes around. The ant works to its fullest strength without anyone having to look over it. If you worked your hardest all the time, even without a supervisor looking over your shoulder to make you work hard, you would quickly rise to higher positions at your place of employment. Employers need people who work at peak performance without anyone watching over them. You are stealing from your boss if you only work at peak performance when they walk through and see you.
Third, the ant needs no ruler to make them work. Your boss can't make you go to work every day. Just because you get a little sniffle doesn't mean you should stay home. Too many people are looking for reasons not to go to work when they should be the type of employee that can be depended on to always be there. I would rather my employer tell me I have to take days off because I am going to use all my paid-off days than run out of my personal days and sick days and lose pay because I didn't show up.
The key to these things is character. Character is what makes you think, work at peak performance all the time, and show up without someone making you show up. The reason we have so little amount of hard workers is because we lack so many people who have the character to do these things. Character makes you go to work when you don't feel like going to work. Character demands you work hard because it is the right thing to do. Character challenges you to think about how to get things done without someone having to tell you how to do it all the time.
Do you have the character of an ant? Does an ant work harder than you? These things should not be hard to do if you are saved because these are traits the Holy Spirit will lead you to do if you are yielded to Him. If you get the character of an ant, you will find yourself being one of the best employees at your place of employment.
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