Small But Wise

Small but Wise

Q: What four things does Proverbs 30 say are small but wise?

• a. ants, bees, tadpoles, garter snakes
• b. ants, wasps, locusts, hummingbirds
• c. ants, hyraxes, locusts, lizards

The world is filled with amazing animals that showcase God’s creativity. Proverbs 30 talks about four of them.

Ants. The ant, a hardworking creature, carries many times its own weight. It has an outer shell that protects it against the environment. As a Christian, you have protection against the environment too. God has given you spiritual armor. You can read about it in Ephesians 6.

Hyraxes. Also called rock rabbits, they inhabit the rocky terrain in Africa and the Middle East. They know the rocks will provide security for them. Psalm 18:2 says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.” God is our rock and place of safety.

Locusts. By themselves, locusts are pretty insignificant, but together they make a big difference. God used locusts as one of the 10 plagues to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Working together, the locusts were destructive. But when Christians work together, they can accomplish a lot of good for God.

Lizards. Lizards are persistent. It’s important to stay persistent when doing God’s work. We can find encouragement in these words in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

There’s a lot to learn from God’s creation, and these four animals each teach an important lesson.

For You

Can you think of another animal that teaches a lesson? What is the animal, and what’s the lesson?

Answer: c

There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks. Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation. Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.   Proverbs 30:24-28

(The Whole Story: Proverbs 30)