I remember an old story about an ant and a grasshopper and how they spent their summer. The ant was busy at work collecting food for the winter and stones for her shelter, while the grasshopper lounged around all day long drinking lemonade. After a while the grasshopper began to make fun of the ant because of her arduous routine. But, slowly the seasons changed and Summer turned into Fall…and Fall into Winter. And then one day, a blizzard came upon them both. The ant retreated into her prepared shelter while the grasshopper searched frantically for a place to go. Eventually the grasshopper hobbled to the ants from door and begged to come in and get some warmth. The ant kindly let him in and shared her shelter and her food with the one who previously made fun of her preparation.
This is a simple story with funny characters, but sadly there is some truth to its meaning. Some are working to prepared themselves for the future, while others are lounging around mocking those who work.
It reminds me of Matthew 25:1-12 which speaks of ten virgins. Five were prepared with extra oil to wait for the bridegroom, while the other five were not. The foolish virgins tried to borrow some of the oil from the others, but there was not enough to go around. The same thing is true of those who are not laboring for the future. They may one day seek to borrow from those who have labored, but at that day there will be no time to prepare. The Bible is clear about what we are to “lay up” or prepare for Christ’s second coming. Matthew 6:20, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal”. Someone prepared, like the ant, will be a New Testament Christian laying up treasures for themselves in Heaven. But, there are some who are not laying up anything, like the grasshopper. These individuals should wake up to the reality of mortality and begin their true walk with God to prepare themselves for the time of judgment, similar to the great blizzard in story. I hope that all have been working to make the proper preparations for the coming times, and are not counting on those around them to be there in THAT day.