The Good Samaritan Through the Eyes of an Ant

I had an interesting experience that made me do some serious self-analysis this past week that I wanted to share with you. I used it in my sermon today (there was more to the sermon than this, but it is a follow-up to a series we’re doing). So the following is based off of Luke 10:25-37 (The Good Samaritan). I hope that you get some reflection out of this too…

This week’s sermon title is “Ants;” and I think you’ll understand why in a minute. But in preparation for this sermon, I decided to do some basic research on ants. Now, I won’t share everything I learned—like how ants go to the bathroom—but I will tell you that I am amazed to find out that there are over 20,000 different species of ants in the world! Can you believe that?!?! 20,000! Wow! There aren’t that many different countries or nationalities in the world! Ants also can make up 15-25% of the animal mass in a given area. And another amazing feat?!?! Ants can carry something that weighs 50 times as much as their own body!!! That’s like you or me carrying a car over our heads! That’s insane! Talk about lifting weights…

Monday was a hot day. A REALLY hot day. The thermostat inside the house got to 93 degrees! As a result, I had the fans going, and was sitting around in PJ shorts and an old tank top with my computer in my lap so that I could do my work for class. I kept going into the kitchen to get something to drink—I really was trying to stay hydrated. On one of my trips into the kitchen, I saw a single ant by the door to the kitchen. Now, there have been about 4 ants in the sunroom for probably two or three months. I have no desire to kill them as long as they stay out of my area. And they didn’t bother me in the sunroom. Well, when these 4 ants decided to come over the lip into the kitchen, they were now in MY territory. The first time I saw them in there, I left them alone, hoping they would leave. The next time I was in the kitchen, one particularly bold ant decided to crawl over my foot, and tried to climb my leg…repeatedly. He was annoying me…and had to go. My flip-flop clad foot came down on top of him before I had really thought about it. *SQUASH* Dead ant. I was planning on sweeping after I finished that section of work, so I left the ant carcass on the floor temporarily.

A little while later I went back into the kitchen, and saw another ant next to the dead one. At first it looked like the one ant was trying to eat the dead one—eww, I thought…cannibalism. But then I took a second look. And I realized that the live ant was poking the dead one with his foot, as if to say, “Are you ok? Huh? Are you? C’mon…wake up! You can do it…wake up!” Frustrated when the dead ant wouldn’t wake up, the live one tried to push and pull him. It didn’t work. He tried to carry him. It didn’t work. Now this must have been a weak ant, if ants can carry something 50 times their body weight…this little guy couldn’t budge an ant his own size. But it didn’t stop him from trying. For 20 minutes this went on…poking, pushing, pulling…poking, pushing, pulling…over and over again. And yes, I kept watching. I was mesmerized. I couldn’t believe the persistence, the tenacity of the ant. He kept trying. I think I would have given up at some point, but not this ant. When he realized he couldn’t do it by himself, he started running around the floor, looking for another ant to lend a hand—you see, ants are very social and community-oriented. If one ant needed something, others would be there instantly to lend a hand…or antennae…or whatever it is that ants lend. When there was no other ant to be found, the little guy comes back to the dead ant, and tries the whole process over again…poking, pushing, pulling…poking pushing pulling.

Finally, I left the kitchen and went to do work. A few minutes later, I got up to go to the bathroom…and walked through the kitchen to get there. The ant was still there doing his thing…poking, pushing, pulling; poking, pushing, pulling. I couldn’t believe it! He was still there with that dead ant.

More time passed, and I eventually went to get a refill on my water. I walked into the kitchen, fully expecting to see the ants again…but this time, neither one was in sight! I have no idea where they went, or what happened. All I know is that the ants were gone—the live one and the dead one. (As a side note, there hasn’t been a single additional ant that has decided to move in…just those two). So the ants were gone. I stood there, staring at the floor, wondering where the ants had gone. And I began reflecting and meditating on my experience.

On the one hand, I felt inspired by the little ant who wouldn’t give up and leave his friend, even when he didn’t have the strength to go on. I was inspired by the dedication and care rendered to that ant. I had even thought about how I could make it better for that ant…it’s not like I know ant CPR or something…I DO know fish CPR, but that’s different! It was so beautiful to watch another creature care for one of its own. And it made me wonder, if I had been the live ant, would I have stopped to stay with the dead ant? Would I have worked so long and hard on a “lost cause”? I like to think that I would have…but in reality, if I knew the one guy was dead and gone, I probably would have continued with my busy life.

On the other hand, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt over the situation. The live ant was the picture of grief. He was running in circles. Literally. I felt guilty because I was the one who had squashed his buddy. I had squashed him without thinking about it. One second he was alive and annoying, the next second he was dead and a black spot on the floor. I was the robber in the story about the Good Samaritan! I had robbed that ant of his life. I used my influence and power of being bigger, smarter, and more developed to kill an innocent creature. I began thinking about what other ways I use my power for evil instead of good. I wonder what else I *SQUASH* without thinking about it—literally or figuratively. I wonder if I use the fact that I grew up as a white, middle-class girl, in a good area with hard-working parents and good schools to wield influence over others. Or if I use my role as a pastor to do the same thing. I wondered who or what else I annihilate without a second thought in my quest to “grow” and “develop.” I wish I had the compassion for my sisters and brothers around the world that the one ant had for another ant.

The story of the “Good Samaritan” might be a familiar one, but I was privileged to learn it anew this week through the eyes of an ant.

Power in "Hell Week"

This is a crazy-busy time of year for me...we have a month to go in the semester (and after all the snow in January and February, things all got pushed back and squished together! We're all running on hyperspeed right now!) and it's Holy Week. Now...for many people, Holy Week is something that is observed when we remember that we might go to church 4 times in 8 days (Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday)...and some traditions also throw in there an Easter Vigil on Saturday. This year, you might even go on Thursday so you can receive communion 2 times in one week! But for a student pastor, this week is also becoming known as "Hell Week" (referring to the drama term the week before opening night...) I had 6 classes between Monday and Tuesday, lead Bible Study on Wednesday, and then have services Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Oh yeah. And I agreed to go on Easter to the Sunrise service at my home church before leading my own 2 services at the 2 churches I'm pastoring. (I don't know what made me say "yes" to my mother...temporary insanity). "Hell Week" it is.

But "Hell Week" is an appropriate name for this week in other ways. Besides leading up to the holiest of days in the Christian year, it's a time when Jesus Christ descended to Hell to pay for our Sin and our sins so that we do not have to suffer come Judgement Day. And somehow, we've managed to turn this Hell Week into a "Holy" Week?!?! I think we like to romanticize religion too much. (But that's another post for another day).

Whether we call this week "Holy" or "Hell," it has Power. Not power, but Power with a capital "P." Power in it's meaning, significance and symbolism. Power in Pilate who can with one sentence change the course of history. Power in the Roman soldiers. Power in the kiss from Judas. Power in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Power over Sin. Power over death. Power.

Power can be used for good or evil. Judas' kiss was used for evil. But Jesus' sacrifice was used for good. The same is true in the life of a pastor. Pastors, by the very nature of their position, have a considerable amount of Power. I've seen pastors who use this Power for good, to help further the Body of Christ and help to make faithful disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I've also seen pastors who, because they are human and because we live in the "already, but not yet" realm between Jesus' victory over Sin and death and the final victory when all believers will feast together in the Heavenly Banquet, these pastors abuse and misuse their Power.

I've become very sensitive to my use of Power in my congregations this Hell Week. How am I using my Power? For good? Or for evil? Am I constantly seeking God and God's will in everything I do...or amy I doing some things for my own glorification? As a just-turned-23-year-old pastor, I may have Power because of my position, but I'm working on the authority. I'm a new pastor, young, female, with lots of passion. But authority is earned through the proper use of Power. Judas had Power. Jesus had both Power and authority. Which one do I model my life after? How about you?

May you journey towards the cross with me praying that we all use Power appropriately so that we may earn authority as Disciples of Jesus Christ. +