August 12, 2026

Business by the Book

Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

There is a story about a rancher going through the process to employ a hired hand. Upon interviewing a candidate, the rancher asked if the man was willing to work. The man simply replied, “I have no problem sleeping at night.”  The rancher was not impressed, but this was the only man who applied for the job. So, he was hired.

About a week into job the rancher was awakened in the middle of the night by an awful storm. The wind was blowing, rain was falling, and lightning was piercing the sky. The rancher made it to the bunkhouse where the ranch hand was fast asleep. The rancher was drenched and awfully mad. Over the noise of the storm and the rancher’s yells the hand slept on.

The rancher decided to take matters into his own hands and began to check on the stock. He found them in the barn with blankets on, straw in the trough, and the barn closed up and secure. He checked the firewood and found it neatly stacked and covered. He checked the chickens and found them in a well-organized and dry henhouse. The tack was all stored away, and the rain barrels had been emptied and positioned properly to catch the rain water. Everything was in its proper place, secured, and safe from the storm.

Then the rancher understood why the ranch hand had said he slept well at night. Because during the day the hand took care of the things that needed to be taken care of in order to withstand any storms that might arise at night.

Do what is needed today to assure success tomorrow. The ant does, the ranch hand did, and so can you!

Dr. William Howe