Recently, I had what we will call “the privilege” of helping my husband to study for an exam that he was scheduled to take. In years past, I had helped him study for various college classes. We were newly married while he was still studying for his bachelor’s degree, and wanting to be a helpful and supportive wife, I took on the role of “study buddy.” Many long nights were spent reciting vocabulary definitions for English, reading aloud the QuickBooks manual for Accounting, or creating nonsensical, yet effective, mnemonic devices for various Bible classes. However, this recent exam was rather different. This exam was about bugs!
While helping him study, the teacher portion of my brain said, “She canst not teach what she doth not know.” (Sometimes, my “inner teacher” speaks in dramatic, Old English dialogue.) Therefore, I determined that, while he was in entomology classes, I would sit in the hotel room and read over the material myself. I saw the most disgusting photos of wriggling, slimy, and gooey insects, including the waste-filled environments they inhabit. I am absolutely not a fan of bugs, yet here I was studying, in grotesque detail, every trait and habit of thousands of species of insects.
As I was reading about certain insects like the honeybee or the butterfly, I reminisced of my elementary years when the teacher would describe, in the simplest of terms, the life cycle of the butterfly or the roles that different bees would play. We, like many children, grew up thinking that most insects followed the same pattern as the butterfly and the bee: egg to larva; larva to pupa; pupa to adult. Worker bees make honey, and queen bees lay eggs. However, I soon found out that this oversimplification of insect habits was actually a far more intriguing subject.
As I read about the termite, I realized that this was a very unique insect. I will refrain from explaining many of the aforementioned grotesque details, but the termite life possesses qualities that resemble the Christian walk. As I read and made these correlations, I was reminded of the Bible verse, Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: (Proverbs 6:6) We see many times in the Bible where God references His creation and shows forth principles and wisdom for us to learn. Here are some things I learned from God’s creation, the termite.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. – I Corinthians 12:12
Typically, one termite mound can consist of tens or hundreds of thousands of termites. Usually, there is only one main queen; only 2% to 15% are soldiers; and a staggering 85% to 98% are workers. This reminded me of the church. While we may have one pastor and a handful of deacons or staff members, we are all part of the colony. Although each may be different, we all have a job that we can and must do.
The termite has a complex life cycle. It begins as an egg but then goes through several changes and stages before becoming an adult. These changes occur in correlation to the colony’s needs. For example, if a colony is located in an area where there are large populations of other insects that could potentially threaten the colony, more termites will morph into soldier termites to defend the colony. If more food gathering is required, more termites will morph into workers to gather and feed the colony. (Again, I will not digress to share the somewhat disturbing details of feeding the colony.) As a church, God prepares us for what He has planned for us. If a church needs a pianist, perhaps an opportunity will become available for one of its members to take piano lessons. As a young lady gets married, perhaps there will be other married ladies in the church to provide her an example or some encouragement. Just as that termite will become what it needs to be to fulfill its role, we as church members ought to be asking God to prepare us to be used in His ministry.
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. – I Corinthians 12:18
Our elementary view of an insect states that once an insect becomes an adult, it is assigned a role, or a purpose, for its existence, and it fulfills that role until its death. As seen with the termite, this is not necessarily the case. The “only-one-role” mentality does not exist within this insect’s community. Whatever benefits the colony, this is the role the termite adopts. As the termite assumes the tasks of the role needed, it is equipped with physiological changes that enable the termite to fulfill its role in the colony.
Many times, we as humans see ourselves in terms of our roles: mother, daughter, administrator, teacher, doctor, wife, choir member, soulwinner, etc. While not a bad thing, I do not believe this is how God views us. He sees us as His children to whom He has given a series of tasks. When thinking of Eve, for example, I do not believe He says, “That is Cain, Abel and Seth’s mother.” I believe it is more like, “That is Eve, my daughter and my servant. I’ve given her the tasks that go along with raising her sons, Cain, Abel, and Seth.”
When we say, “I am a mother. My role is that of a mother,” what we are really saying is, “I fulfill the tasks associated with feeding, teaching, caring for, guiding, housing, leading, and raising a child.” When we say, “I am a teacher. My role is that of a teacher,” what we are really saying is, “I fulfill the tasks associated with instructing, evaluating, assessing, and inspiring a student to learn.” God has given us this life for us to fulfill a part of His great plan. However, no matter what roles we currently play (and every person plays multiple roles), a role is not merely a title we hold. It is simply a series of tasks we have been assigned.
But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: – I Corinthians 12:20-22
I like to imagine that God, in His infinite wisdom, is in Heaven doling out tasks to each Christian every moment of every day. After a certain time, He sends a new task for us to do. Perhaps, a mother is watching her child walk across a platform to receive his diploma and to begin a new chapter in his life. Perhaps, a missionary family begins deputation, or a teacher is called to teach a new or unfamiliar class. This is the time that God is handing them a new task. Although they may feel incapable of completing this task, He has fully equipped them to do it. Rather than rejecting the task under the pretense that this is not the role that we currently fill, we ought to embrace and endeavor to complete the task with God’s help.
The termite does not aspire to become the queen of the mound, nor does it shy away from taking up the task of a soldier. It simply performs the tasks that God has created, prepared, and equipped it to do for the benefit of the colony. While we may attempt to plan our lives, or we envision ideas of grandeur for our perfect role in God’s plan, we must yield to His preparation and complete the tasks He has placed before us.
A middle-aged woman seeking advice once said, “I’m at a crossroads in my life. I don’t know what to do. This is not how I envisioned it would be at this point in life. What do I do?” The wise man responded with, “Just do the next right thing.”
Whatever task God has handed to us, let us determine just to do it. Let us fulfill the tasks that comprise the roles we play in God’s plan. In doing so, we fulfill not only His will for our “colony”, the body of Christ, but also His plan for our lives.
by Krystal Salm
