The Ant and The Grasshopper

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"   "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
     When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need.
Aesop was born about 620 BCE and something tells me there was a Spiritual influence about this story.
I think God had sent a message to Aesop. Listen to this from Proverbs:
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:6-11.
Which goes right along with this one, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).   What about this one, “Lazy hands bring poverty, but hard-working hands lead to wealth. Whoever harvests during summer acts wisely, but the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful” (Proverbs 10:4-5).
Do you get the picture yet??? The lazy person who does not work, does not eat and cannot function properly in society.  Well, unless you are dependent on the government then you get money for doing nothing so you can buy what you believe you need to survive. 
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”14 As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. Proverbs 26:13-16
I know some people that can be termed “freeloaders” who have a drive to do something but do not want to do the groundwork. They are the, “Give me money, food, shelter, so I can do this”, and say in secret that they will give nothing in return. When funds are received by the freeloader; he uses it for some other purpose. Some who are lazy are actually very smart but procrastinate so long that opportunities fly away like a hawk who captured the prey.   Paul tells the Christians at Ephesus, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” Ephesians 5:15-16.
We all need to be like the ant not just in our physical lives but our spiritual lives as well.
“If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” 1 Timothy 5:8. 
If we do not work to support ourselves and become dependent on others to provide how long will it be before the care stops. When we were children were we brought up with silver spoons getting everything handed to us? Well, ok some were but the ones that happened to will find themselves as beggars and thieves after the money is gone. The child brought up righteously has a Fear of God and understands the Servant’s Heart. We serve the Father working like the ant and develop a righteous and faithful heart.    Brothers, Sisters, and Children, listen to the Father, Read and Meditate daily, working for others placing your own needs last. The person who gathers (works) and stores up for later while providing will be able to rest easy and be provided for before meeting our Savior face to face.
Father God,
      Help us to not have a sluggard’s heart but be faithful gatherers for your will so that we can rest easy at the end of the day. Your Word feeds us and fills us with Your Glory. We Praise Your Mighty and Holy Name. Send your Spirit upon us to keep us living godly lives. We ask these things in Jesus Name.
 Amen