What Do Ants, Hyraxes, Locusts, and Lizards Have in Common?

Proverbs 30:24-38
Four things on earth are small,
    yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength,
    yet they store up their food in the summer;
hyraxes are creatures of little power,
    yet they make their home in the crags;
locusts have no king,
    yet they advance together in ranks;
a lizard can be caught with the hand,
    yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

Summer-- a time for picnics. Grilled hot dogs and burgers, corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, baked beans, and chips laid out on a red-checkered table cloth. Sounds ideal. I enjoy delicious food at an outdoor event and so do ants. If left to their own accord, the little creatures, one by one, carry crumbs off to their hills and pack the goodies away for mealtime. They're smart.

I'd never heard of the hyrax until I read this verse. They're a chubby guinea pig like mammal with the ability to dig a home in the rocks they live near. Despite their short legs, they can hollow out a hole to live in. They know how to meet a challenge.

Locust organize themselves without a leader and lizards find a way to slink into royal palaces. They're determined.

All of the creatures mentioned in Proverbs 30 are considered wise. They use the gifts God's given them to survive day-to-day. Our Father has given each of us gifts. Not just artistic abilities, but life skills. If a little ant can feed an army and a hyrax can dig a cave in the rock, I can face each day with Jesus by my side and overcome difficulties and temptations and use the abilities God's given me to bless others. So often I sell myself short and forget I'm not in this alone. I'm in it with the creator of life. Praise God for his gifts and his beautiful creation.