Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Solomon realized that we could learn a lot from the small creatures created by God.  Let’s look at four of them.     

Proverbs 30:24-25 (ESV)
²⁴  Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: ²⁵  the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer.

The ant, without having to be pushed and prodded by someone in authority (Proverbs 6:6-8), works hard in the summer, storing up food for winter.  They are wise enough to know that the time will come when they can no longer work.  We should follow their example and work while we can (John 9:4).  Paul said, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). 

Next, Solomon refers to the rock badgers, also known as conies.

Proverbs 30:26 (ESV)
²⁶  the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

The rock badgers showed wisdom by recognizing their lack of strength and ability to defend themselves against the larger, stronger animals.  The cliffs were their places of refuge, and they were wise enough to stay there.

If we are to walk wisely, we must recognize our spiritual weakness.  Jesus referred to this as being “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3).  We must stay with God, abiding in Christ, if we are to stay safe from our adversary, the devil.  David said, “In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:7).  Let’s stay in Christ where it is safe. 

The third small creature we can learn from is the locust.  This is what Solomon says about them.

Proverbs 30:27 (ESV)
²⁷  the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank.

From the locust, we learn the value of working together.  Locusts are not particularly strong by themselves.  Just one locust would not do much damage to a field.  However, a swarm of locusts, marching together through a field, can wipe out miles of vegetation very quickly.  It is amazing what can be done when there is unity and cooperation.   When we march together in the Lord, we can accomplish great things for Him.

Philippians 1:27 (ESV)
²⁷  Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

The last of God’s creatures that Solomon praises is the spider.

Proverbs 30:28 (KJV)
²⁸  The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

Like the ant, the spider is busy.  He is also undeterred in his work.  Have you ever knocked down a spider web, only to find it back in the same spot later?  The spider will rebuild that web over and over again.  The only way to get rid of the web for good is to get rid of the spider.  Are we that undeterred in the work of the Lord?  We sometimes let little obstacles stop us from doing our work.  Let us be more like the spider.  And there is something else about the spider—he will do his work anywhere, even in the kings’ palaces.  We should have that same mentality when it comes to preaching the gospel.  Like the early saints, we should go “everywhere preaching the gospel” (Acts 8:4). 

There is always something to learn from God’s handiwork.  Let’s learn from the wisdom of these little creatures and walk wisely.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.