Proverbs 30:24-28 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 30:24-28, which read,

Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:  the ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; the shephanim are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them go out in ranks; the lizard you may grasp with the hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

This is quite a challenge today.  Agur gives us four more things to ponder that are in word picture form.  They are all relatively small things on this earth but the point to find out about each of them is how they are wise in their actions.  Bear with me as I wade through these.

The first is the ants which are obviously small and probably the easiest illustration to understand.  We have observed ants at work getting ready for the next season.  The colony lives together and works together with a picture of "we are many but we are one."  Another great passage in Proverbs about ants is in chapter 6, verses 6 through 8 which read,

"Go to the ant, you slacker!  Observe its ways and become wise.  Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers it food during harvest."

The ant is so small but because it has a common goal along with so many others, what is accomplished is tremendous.  It doesn't dwell on how small it is but on the task.  There is great wisdom here to keep our eyes on the task that is front of us and not on our smallness.  Take inventory of those who God has placed around you in His family who are also small but keeping their eyes focused on the task.  These wise actions taken by the many small see great things happen in the name of the Lord.  They prepare for a harvest and then work the harvest in God's fields of souls.  

The second is the shephanim that has houses in the rocks.  The shephanim is a small, shy, furry animal found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region around the Dead Sea probably akin to a badger.  It finds sanctuary in the high places among the rocks for protection.  A couple other cross references to this animal are in Leviticus 11:5 which reads,

"...hyraxes (which is another name for the shephanim), though they chew the cud, do not have hooves--they are unclean for you;..."

and Psalm 104:18 which reads,

"The high mountains are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for hyraxes."

Here is a small animal that is vulernable to larger ones but it goes to where the larger ones can not go and makes its homes where they can not penetrate.  The rocks are too hard for them to dig through and the spaces to enter are too small from them to go through.  The shephanium, though small, has provided for itself and its family a place of safety in a harsh world.  There is wisdom in looking for places that provide safety for you and your family.  In our world that is full of evil we need to harbor our family in places where they feel the security of the rocks.  For me, the analogy goes to the church and to the Rock.  Do you have your family in the church that is surrounded by the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.  Satan and his schemes of evil devour little people everyday but those who are wise little people gather and surround themselves with the protection that God gives us through His Word and His family.  We see this picture in the countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith but they find little holes to gather in with other little badgers to be protected to keep their minds focused on the eternal over the temporal.

The third is the locust that goes out in ranks.  The wisdom spoken of here is similar to the ant.  The focus is the organization of the small locusts.  The ant is preparing and gathering the harvest.  The locust is on the offensive and taking new ground.  The locust which are many are considered singular in a swarm.  This would not happen if they were not organized.  They survive because of this careful organization.  It is wise to think things through and walk and work with others as if you are one instead of many.  Maybe we could think of the mom and dad who are being played by their children but it doesn't work because mom and dad are on the same page and they have talked about these actions of manipulation ahead of time and set up a plan to act as one in response.  

Even though the locust is usually brought up in the Bible as a plague or something to fear and also the shephanim as an unclean animal to avoid and not eat, Agur uses these negative images to bring out a wisdom point.  They are small but what they are doing contains a wisdom principle for us to apply.  How organized are you in walking in wisdom?  

The last is the lizard in the king's palace.  Most people don't like lizards.  Some are very small and can hide out anywhere.  Some can take upon themselves their surroundings and you can't even seem them even though they are right in front of your eyes.  They go "chameleon."  Where is this lizard?  This small lizard is in the king's palace among all the beautiful things.  It has found a way in and set up shop.  It is amazing where following God's wisdom might put us.  We might find our little small selves in a place of great beauty and power.  We might find ourselves among those places where big and important decisions are made.  We may be caught at times like this lizard who is so small in the hands of another but when you are caught what will you say and what will they have seen.  

Because you have followed after the wisdom of God, He has put you in a place where it could be an "Esther" moment.  You are there for "just a time as this."  You have the opportunity to speak for God because you have been living your life for Him and after Him.  This is the wisdom of being like Daniel, Shadrack, Mechach, and Abendago, little Israelite boys caught in the great palace of Babylon but then used by God to keep Him in front of His people to eventually go back to The Promise Land.  

Let us listen and heed the wisdom of the small.  May we prepare like the ants for the time to come.  May we protect ourselves and our families from the evils of this world.  May we plan with others the commission of God that He has given us.  May we prove though our words and actions that we are Christ followers even in the presence of this world's kings.  All small but used of God in big ways.  Let us pray.

"Lord how we want to be lazy in our spiritual lives.  How we want to live on the line of temptation rather than step back from it.  How we want to be in this world independent of others.  How we want to just blend in never to be caught to give a defense.  May we be diligent in our walk with You.  May we seek places to be surrounded by Your Word and Your family.  May we see how Your organization, the Church, will not fail and be a part of its mission.  May we speak of You when caught in prominent places to tell of the King of kings.  Amen."

Pastor Adam