It’s been a scrambled kind of day, Father, but I am grateful that You are rock-solid through it all. I can trust and lean on You at any time throughout the day. All praise to You!
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Today at lunch we noticed that we’re no longer seeing yellow jackets at our deserted hummingbird feeder (no I still haven’t taken it down…). That got me thinking, “What happens to yellow jackets when the weather turns cold?”
So, of course, I looked it up. I learned that yellow jacket workers die after 5-7 days of temperatures 45° (F) or colder. The new queen, who will create next year’s colony, survives by burrowing deep into the ground where she hibernates until spring.
Beginning October 14th, we had nine straight days when our temperature dropped that low – hence, no yellow jackets.
But the article (from Arrow Exterminating Company out of the New York area) had a lot of interesting information.
Unlike some creatures that will store food, yellow jackets have very much of a hand-to-mouth existence…meaning that the food they gather is used to feed themselves, their queen, larvae, or young. None is saved. In the spring, food is abundant, and the colony’s population is at its lowest.
However, by the time the weather starts to turn cold in the fall, the colony is at its maximum size and simultaneously food sources are starting to dwindle. This is why yellow jackets are so aggressive in the fall. Like any other starving creatures, they’re ill-tempered and desperate to get anything that can be used to feed themselves, the colony, or the queen preparing for winter survival.
As I read through it, I couldn’t help but think of people. Many live paycheck to paycheck, with little to nothing to spare. When you add addictions to drugs or alcohol, their lives, and the lives of their family are impacted astronomically. Another contributing factor is the “keeping up with the Jones” malady. You know, the mindset of having to have things mainly because everybody else has things. Sure, it’s nice having things, but it’s not always good for the bottom line.
Far too often the problems we see in adults, and children, too, for that matter, have deep roots. It’s easy, on our end, to blow up and get frustrated or angry…to demand punishment or at least a good tongue lashing. But how does that really change anything, except to maybe push the issues down even further…even deeper?
One of the things I’ve come to understand in ministry is that what many people need is an investment…and I’m not talking money. I’m talking about time – the most valuable commodity of all. Even from the pastoral end of things that can be difficult. How do we pull that off effectively?
I guess that’s one advantage of my work outside of the church. When you are with people for multiple hours several days a week, that back-and-forth becomes easier. You develop trust and a rapport with one another. Both of you are investing in each other, and you both benefit from your relationship.
And you know, that’s what Jesus did. Throughout His life, He invested in others. He spent time with them…and most importantly He loved them, with all that He was. Lives were changed…for eternity!
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit… but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 AMP
Oct 27th, 2022, Thurs, 5:16 pm
