Overcoming the Odds Against You

RISE AND SHINE FOR JESUS! \O/
By Pam Iannello (my late mother)




Proverbs 30:24-28 (KJV)
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: [25] The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; [26] The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; [27] The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; [28] The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

The ants – a people not strong/prepare their meat in summer
TOILS AS LONG AS THE SEASON PERMITS; LABORED WHEN THINGS WERE RIPE; PREPARES FOR FUTURE; ENDURED HEAT; SLEEPS ONLY WHEN WORK IS DONE AND GOAL ACHIEVED

The conies – a feeble folk/make their houses in the rocks
CONSCIOUS OF THEIR OWN DEFENSELESSNESS; COULDN’T BUILD A CASTLE BUT MADE USE OF WHAT WAS AVAILABLE; FACED THEIR FEARS TO GAIN SECURITY

The locusts have no king/go forth by bands
THOUGH LARGE IN NUMBER, THEY STAY DISCIPLINED AND ORGANIZED - WITHOUT AN OVERSEER!

The spider taketh hold with her hands/in kings’ palaces
QUIET, ROUTINE HABITS THAT PRODUCE AMAZING RESULTS ANYWHERE IT LIVES; FACES CONSTANT DIFFICULTY AND DISCOURAGEMENT IN HER LABOR; STAYS FOCUSED; KEEPS ON TOILING AND REBUILDING EVEN WHEN HER WORK IS UNAPPRECIATED BY OTHERS; NEVER GIVES UP

Believe it or not, small, weak creatures can pull off some amazing stuff! And what we learn from this impressive group of tiny living things is that a lack of individual power is certainly no hindrance to great accomplishments. All you need is cooperative effort and wise planning! When they met up with a problem, these little guys simply thought and fought their way on to victory. Because of other qualities they possess, these mini wonders did quite well in spite of their insignificance, and God chose to highlight their behavioral traits and their accomplishments for our benefit. I wonder, are you too big or hard-hearted to gather a lesson from these feeble folk?

  • If these small creatures were to observe your life, what would they learn from YOU?
  • Does God consider your methods of operation “exceeding wise”?

So dear lady, are you more focused on your abilities or your inabilities? How do you typically respond to overwhelming forms of opposition in your life? Do you tackle life’s obstacles with creativity and enthusiasm or just give up and walk away defeated, never having even applied the slightest amount of mental or physical energy to advance your situation? Ladies, by consistent activity and concentrating on glorifying God we can succeed - even if the odds appear to be against us! Considering their size in comparison to the earth they lived upon, these small animals definitely lived excuse-free lives… Whether you have a little or a lot, what is one thing you can do today to show your dependence on God and to honor Him with your life-style like the ants, the conies, the locusts and the spider each did? By way of their inferiority they achieved superiority over the likelihood of experiencing any setbacks. If you kept busy and stayed focused, what similar sized victories might you achieve to the glory of God?

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2005 Pamela A. Iannello

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