Devotional Thought - Fire Ants
by Faithe Thomas
In
Africa, after the rains, all sorts of bugs suddenly make their presence known.
One of these is the fire ant. This medium-sized ant begins its life as larva
and progresses to the stage of having legs to crawl. Over the course of time
it grows wings, which make it possible to fly. Its instinctive attraction to
light causes it to fly toward flames where its wings get singed off. It is then
left to crawl again, lay eggs, and die.
The fire ant, when it is crawling around in its initial stages of life, must be eager to have those wings. Later it discovers that being airborne is not the end.
So often I think goals are an end to themselves. My goal in life was to get to the mission field. But being on the mission field was not the end. In fact, it was only a step in the process. I remember the surprise I felt when I discovered that more stages awaited me after arriving in Africa. I thought I was through with the difficult part of the process. However, Paul’s words enlightened me in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
God sees the goals in a different light. God is the One who began this work
in me. “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set
eternity in their heart, without which man will not find out the work which
God has done from the beginning even to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11,
lit.) Only through the perspective of eternity will I understand that reaching
each of my goals was not an end, but rather a place where God continued the
transformation.
About the Author
Faithe Finley Thomas lived as a missionary in Ghana, West Africa for six years. Her book "Staying in the Breeze" is a thoughtful reflection of some of her experiences. It can be purchased through Master Design.
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