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Persistently Consistent - Steve Martin
“Four things on the earth are small; nevertheless, they are very wise — the ants, a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer…” (Proverbs 30:24-25, Complete Jewish Bible)
We all have heard stories of the ants, of how they work and work and work. I can certainly attest to that. Living here in the South (southeastern part of the USA) over these past 30 years has presented many encounters with the red fire ants. These are the ones that when they bite you, you know it because it hurts. Then a short time later, small, red blisters cover your ankles or elsewhere on those parts of the body that were exposed. Sometimes they even get you under your socks, and then it is later that you feel their bite. Just great.
I have found a method that works for me, to rid my beautiful, weed-infested yard of their hills. For if you don’t deal with them, you will have nice mountains of red clay all over your scenery. So what I found that works is this.
Step on the mound with your foot (shoe on of course) to flatten the mound out. This causes them to eventually move on to the neighbor’s yard. Or if the mound has already grown to be bigger than your foot, take a plank of wood, lay it on top, step on it, and then roll it over to smash the next section. Repeat as needed. Works every time! No pesticides. No buckets of hot water to carry. No bleach killing the rest of your lawn.
It must be said of the ant colonies – they are persistently consistent.
They never give up. They never give in. They keep on working even better than the Energizer Bunny did. (Is he still around, or did his battery finally die out?)
One thing that I have found that also “works” in my Christian life, is to be faithful in the small and the large, is to be persistently consistent in what I do. Then I trust, as He promised, that I will finish the race and get His reward.
After all, who doesn’t like rewards? Even Zoe, our now deceased 12-year-old loving Dachshund, knew that if she consistently finished her doggy supper she would get a rawhide bone! You can bet she likes rewards.
"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?” (Luke 16:10-12) New Living Translation
Want to know what are some things in the disciplined Christian life that please our Father in heaven? Seeing His children be faithful in prayer; spending time learning about His ways in His Written Word; and being the one who others can count on when a need needs to be met.
If you learn to be persistently consistent in your doing, you shall obtain the reward, and help others achieve that objective also.
Good servants of the Most High can be counted on, for they have learned to press on and not give up.
