The Ant and the Grasshopper

The stories were told, again and again, for generations. These were the “fables” allegedly created by a man we know as “Aesop.”

By reputation, he was thought to have been a slave living in ancient Greece around 600 BC. His stories had such impact because they contained practical advice, or what has been called a “moral.” Some nugget that could be applied with tangible benefits. Many featured animals, which, through the human characteristics they displayed, provided meaningful insights.

While some fables may have originated with Aesop, others, with different authorship, became part of his legacy.

We see the general design of these stories in a fable known as “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” Here, Aesop describes how an ant passed by a grasshopper who was “chirping and singing to its heart’s content.”

The grasshopper urged the ant to stop and talk. But the ant replied, “I am helping to lay up food for the winter and recommend you to do the same.” The grasshopper, thinking he had “plenty of food,” responded, “Why bother about winter?”

But when winter came, the ant had enough food and even could help others. But the grasshopper “found itself dying of hunger.” The moral? Be wise and prepare for the future.

How interesting that the Bible contains a similar proverb with the same message, all prepared hundreds of years before Aesop. In fact, the Bible urges us to learn from creatures like the ant, to look ahead. Not to waste opportunities but to plan. Save. Prepare.

In your life, ask God to help you be a better planner, prepared for the future. And faithful with the time, talent, and treasure He has given you.