Having lived in Texas for a number years, I’ve learned that everything in Texas fights back. There are venomous snakes, spiders, scorpions, various cacti, mountain lions and even alligators. However, one of the smaller critters that will ruin your day, or worse, is fire ants. If you are unfamiliar with them, click here to see them in action. If you disturb one of their mounds every so slightly, they attack! Not a few, but hundreds or thousands of tiny bodies swarm to bite and sting intruders. Once they begin, it’s very evident and your only recourse is to get away.

Texas is also home to strange creatures called armadillos. Unlike the fire ants, they sleep 16-18 hours a day. If they are sleeping in their burrows, they can’t be disturbed or woken without significant effort. They are very solitary creatures that avoid each other for most of their life, except to mate, and are usually only seen by people on the side of the road.

Motivating Christians is a lot like these animals. There are some that at the slightest whisper of God’s moving are swarming together and ready for action. Then there are others who ignore God’s movements and avoid other Christians, except when they must. Which do you relate to more? Have you ever felt like the opposite? What changed to make you shift from one to the other? Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As believers, we are to watch out for each other’s well being with love – accountability (Hebrews 3:13). We are also to encourage each other to do good works. How much easier is it to volunteer to help with a project or go on a mission trip or visit a soup kitchen if you know your friend is going with you? Such shared experiences increase the bonds of fellowship that tie us together and cause a desire to do even more to protect and serve (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Some of my most joyous and fulfilling adventures have been on mission trips.

Most of us need to be more like the fire ants, ready for action, working together, stirring each other up to accomplish a goal. Don’t bury your talents (Matthew 25:14-30), limited as you may think they are. God has work especially for you to do. If you don’t know where to begin, start with your communication with God as He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Pray continually, get your Bible out and study it so you will be ready when He moves. If you aren’t close to Him, while you’re waiting for a fire or earthquake or thunder or other massive notice, you might miss the still small voice wanting you to go (1 Kings 19:11-15).

Disclaimer: just because the fire ants rush into everything, doesn’t mean we as Christians should automatically jump and rush into every opportunity that presents itself. Nor as leaders, should we try to force ministry and good works to be done by someone else. Trying to grow fruit by force is going to produce sour grapes. Through devotion to prayer and seeking God’s approval we will know when to take something on or say, “No” (which sometimes you must do) or it will simply be running in place. Mike Warnke said (paraphrasing), “some disciples went out and did many works and preached, but no fruit came from it. They returned to Jesus and asked Him why nothing was happening. Jesus told them that instead of doing His will in His name, they were doing their will in His name. They asked what’s the difference? The answer: results.” So while we should always be stirring each other up in love and doing good works, we need to make sure we’re doing what God wants and in His name/power or we’ll have no results.

Disclaimer II: while the fire ant is the positive example to follow in this message, the armadillo is not all bad. Sometimes we need to draw away and rest in order to get replenished. If you feel that in your ministry, you are running and going nowhere, maybe you need to stop and examine the situation and your life (Matthew 11:28-30). Like Martha, maybe God is prescribing some rest and needing you to learn to rely on Him and others instead of taking everything on yourself (Luke 10:38-42). Sometimes you need to take a little personal time and physically rest as well. Even Jesus needing to occasionally pull away to renew Himself (physically and ministerially) for a period of time before coming back restored (Matthew 14:22-23, Luke 6:12-13, Mark 6:30-32). And sometimes the armadillo has gone through some really tough things that have caused their armor and reclusion to be their line of defense. We need to be patient and loving toward these people to help them out of their burrows and back into a community of believers that will love and support them.

So, whether you need to get more involved or take a step back, be sure to follow the leading of God. Make yourself prepared like a fire ant to charge the gates of Hell to win a few souls with prayer and Scripture and fellowship with God and other believers. Also, know there is a time for rest and recuperation and recovery. As you see these animals (in real life, like Texas, or on television or books), may they remind you that God is good and will guide and direct as you seek Him first.