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Teaching God's Word to God's People |
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Welcome to Church Focus Ministries
Equipping, Encouraging, and Educating
God’s People by Providing Resources that are Uncompromisingly True to God’s Word
Church Focus Ministries is your trusted source for biblically sound materials
May's Encouraging Word
Come on, you can do this . .
Consider the Ant
A short story by Mark Wash
"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." ~Proverbs 6:6-8
A short story by Mark Wash
"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." ~Proverbs 6:6-8
It was a quiet Saturday morning when Michael, a high school teacher in a small town, sat at his kitchen table, staring at the stack of ungraded essays. The sun crawled through the window, lighting up the dust in the air. Across from him, his daughter Emily, nine years old and endlessly curious, was hunched over a piece of construction paper, drawing a picture of ants marching in a line.
Michael sighed, rubbing his eyes. He’d promised himself he would catch up on his grading—he always did—but somehow, the weight of the week lingered. There were errands to run, bills to pay, and the ever-present hum of worry about doing enough and being enough. He glanced at Emily, who was now narrating the ants’ journey aloud. “This one’s the leader,” she said, pointing to a particularly bold ant with a red crayon. “And the others follow her to get the food.”
Michael smiled but corrected her gently. “Actually, ants don’t really have one leader. They just know what to do and get it done together." Emily looked up, her eyes wide. “Then how do they know what to do?” Michael paused before answering, his mind drifting back to a Bible verse he’d read earlier that morning in his devotions, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise . . ." He’d thought about what it meant—how wisdom isn’t loud or flashy but found in the steady, simple acts of diligence, even when no one was looking.
“Maybe it’s just in them,” he said softly. “They don’t need someone to order them around. They just do what needs to be done, even if it’s not exciting.”
Emily considered this, then went back to her drawing, adding pieces of bread to the ants’ trail. As she worked, Michael forced himself to turn back to the essays. The words of the proverb echoed in his mind: consider her ways, and be wise. He’d spent so much energy waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect motivation, but maybe what mattered was the simple act of beginning—of doing the work in front of him, without fanfare.
The day unfolded quietly. Together, Michael and Emily made sandwiches for lunch. Emily asked for a picnic outside, so they sat on the porch, watching the real ants march through the cracks in the pavement. Michael pointed out how the ants seemed to work tirelessly, carrying crumbs and bits of leaves twice their size.
“Do you think they ever get tired?” Emily asked. “Probably,” Michael replied. “But they keep going because what they’re doing matters. Even if it isn’t always noticed.”
Later that afternoon, while Emily played in the yard, Michael returned to his essays. He graded quietly and steadily. There was no deadline looming, no principal to impress—just the quiet satisfaction of finishing the work, of not leaving for tomorrow what could be done today. Occasionally, he glanced up to see Emily, now kneeling in the grass, watching a line of ants disappear beneath a stone.
As the sun dipped lower, Emily came inside, dirt smudged on her knees. She flopped onto the couch beside her father. “I tried to feed the ants some of my crackers, but they just kept carrying them away.” Michael laughed. “They’re probably saving up for later. Ants are smart that way—they think ahead.” Emily nestled closer. I want to be smart like that, too. Like you.”
Michael smiled. “We can both try. Sometimes being wise just means doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy or fun, or when no one’s watching.”
The house was quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the faint hum of the fridge. Michael realized he felt lighter, as if the tiny burden of procrastination had been lifted. He wasn’t changing the world in grand ways, but maybe wisdom started in these ordinary moments—the ones that built character, slowly and quietly, like an ant building its nest.
That evening, after Emily went to bed, Michael stood at the window, looking out at the dusky yard. He thought again about the ants, about diligence, about the difference between busyness and true, deliberate work. He realized that no one had applauded him for grading those essays, for making lunch, for being present. Yet, there was a quiet joy in it—in aligning his actions with what mattered most, in building today with tomorrow in mind.
He whispered a small prayer of thanks for the wisdom that comes not in shouts but in whispers, in the quiet march of ordinary days. He promised himself that tomorrow and the day after, he would keep going—not for applause, but for the slow, steady reward that comes from faithfulness. In the end, he knew diligence was never wasted: it was a seed planted in secret, sure to bear fruit in its time.
Michael sighed, rubbing his eyes. He’d promised himself he would catch up on his grading—he always did—but somehow, the weight of the week lingered. There were errands to run, bills to pay, and the ever-present hum of worry about doing enough and being enough. He glanced at Emily, who was now narrating the ants’ journey aloud. “This one’s the leader,” she said, pointing to a particularly bold ant with a red crayon. “And the others follow her to get the food.”
Michael smiled but corrected her gently. “Actually, ants don’t really have one leader. They just know what to do and get it done together." Emily looked up, her eyes wide. “Then how do they know what to do?” Michael paused before answering, his mind drifting back to a Bible verse he’d read earlier that morning in his devotions, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise . . ." He’d thought about what it meant—how wisdom isn’t loud or flashy but found in the steady, simple acts of diligence, even when no one was looking.
“Maybe it’s just in them,” he said softly. “They don’t need someone to order them around. They just do what needs to be done, even if it’s not exciting.”
Emily considered this, then went back to her drawing, adding pieces of bread to the ants’ trail. As she worked, Michael forced himself to turn back to the essays. The words of the proverb echoed in his mind: consider her ways, and be wise. He’d spent so much energy waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect motivation, but maybe what mattered was the simple act of beginning—of doing the work in front of him, without fanfare.
The day unfolded quietly. Together, Michael and Emily made sandwiches for lunch. Emily asked for a picnic outside, so they sat on the porch, watching the real ants march through the cracks in the pavement. Michael pointed out how the ants seemed to work tirelessly, carrying crumbs and bits of leaves twice their size.
“Do you think they ever get tired?” Emily asked. “Probably,” Michael replied. “But they keep going because what they’re doing matters. Even if it isn’t always noticed.”
Later that afternoon, while Emily played in the yard, Michael returned to his essays. He graded quietly and steadily. There was no deadline looming, no principal to impress—just the quiet satisfaction of finishing the work, of not leaving for tomorrow what could be done today. Occasionally, he glanced up to see Emily, now kneeling in the grass, watching a line of ants disappear beneath a stone.
As the sun dipped lower, Emily came inside, dirt smudged on her knees. She flopped onto the couch beside her father. “I tried to feed the ants some of my crackers, but they just kept carrying them away.” Michael laughed. “They’re probably saving up for later. Ants are smart that way—they think ahead.” Emily nestled closer. I want to be smart like that, too. Like you.”
Michael smiled. “We can both try. Sometimes being wise just means doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy or fun, or when no one’s watching.”
The house was quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the faint hum of the fridge. Michael realized he felt lighter, as if the tiny burden of procrastination had been lifted. He wasn’t changing the world in grand ways, but maybe wisdom started in these ordinary moments—the ones that built character, slowly and quietly, like an ant building its nest.
That evening, after Emily went to bed, Michael stood at the window, looking out at the dusky yard. He thought again about the ants, about diligence, about the difference between busyness and true, deliberate work. He realized that no one had applauded him for grading those essays, for making lunch, for being present. Yet, there was a quiet joy in it—in aligning his actions with what mattered most, in building today with tomorrow in mind.
He whispered a small prayer of thanks for the wisdom that comes not in shouts but in whispers, in the quiet march of ordinary days. He promised himself that tomorrow and the day after, he would keep going—not for applause, but for the slow, steady reward that comes from faithfulness. In the end, he knew diligence was never wasted: it was a seed planted in secret, sure to bear fruit in its time.
Current Events . . .
Special contemplative study . . .
Do you have to forgive someone
before they repent?
~ Mark Wash ~
Must individuals apologize for their wrongdoings before I am able to grant forgiveness? Or is forgiveness always there? Do we have to forgive someone even if they believe they have done nothing wrong and show no signs of wanting to change?
I wish I could offer you a simple answer that works for all situations, but that's not the case. There are clear references to repentance in the Bible, the most clear and well-known being what Jesus said in Luke 17:3–4: "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
If the person who hurt us repents, we must forgive them. But what if they don't change their minds? No one talks about that. Jesus doesn't even say, "You can forgive them if they don't repent, but you don't have to."
Some say forgiveness is conditional, meaning you must apologize before being forgiven. They also point to how God has forgiven us. When we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus, God forgives us. Paul says in Ephesians 4 that we should forgive others as God in Christ forgave us. This makes it seem like he thought forgiveness was conditional, meaning that the person who did wrong had to first repent in order for it to happen. But if that's the case, why doesn't he talk about repentance?
But there are also texts where repentance is not mentioned, like what Paul says in Colossians 3:13. This is why many people say that we have to forgive all the time, even if the person who hurt us doesn't say they're sorry.
I don't have a simple answer to this question. But I am sure I can say a few things.
First, you have to forgive the person who hurt you if they say they're sorry. That is obvious.
Second, you must love, bless, and do good for those who wronged you, even if they never repent. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matt. 5:44). In Romans 12, Paul says, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (vv. 14, 20-21).
Third, this makes me want to make a difference between internal forgiveness and external forgiveness. When I refer to "internal" forgiveness, I mean the decision to refrain from seeking revenge or harboring anger and hatred towards the person in your heart. This occurs when the Spirit transforms your feelings towards the person who hurt you, shifting from anger and a desire for revenge to love and prayer for them. You are choosing to let them go free when they should be punished. You are not letting your heart stay angry and bitter toward that person. But all of this happens inside. You don't have to tell them or anyone else about it.
You are still fighting with the person who did something wrong when you do that. They haven't asked for forgiveness, and they think it's unnecessary. We should still bless them, and that blessing means that we have forgiven them in our hearts. After all, holding a grudge is the opposite of forgiving, but blessing is the opposite of holding a grudge, so blessing is a kind of forgiving.
The memorial service for Charlie Kirk is a wonderful recent example of internal forgiveness. The man who is accused of murder is in jail waiting for his trial, but he hasn't shown any signs of remorse or confessed to the crime. But Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, says, "I forgive him," with tears streaming down her face.
However, forgiveness from others presents a completely different challenge. You need to say to them, "I forgive you in my heart and let you go of any pain you might deserve for sinning against me." I won't ask God to punish you for what you did. I won't try to make you pay for the wrongs you did to me. I won't use your sin against you anymore or hold it over your head. And I will work hard in God's grace to fix our relationship and bring us back together.
Internal forgiveness is always there. After all, why would you want to spend the rest of your life angry, bitter, and unable to forgive? You are not required to take any action toward the individual who wronged you in order to forgive them internally.
On the other hand, external forgiveness is not always given. It can only be extended if the person really feels remorseful about the wrongs they did to you. You don't have to trust them or make it easy for them to hurt you again.
You are not required to reconcile with them in order to forgive them. You may want to make up, but you don't have to try to do so. It may be risky to try that, especially if they have proven untrustworthy.
On the other hand, external forgiveness is almost the same as reconciliation. It occurs when both you and the person who hurt you agree to work on your relationship. But that won't happen until they change their minds. It won't be simple to get trust back. It needs time.
One last question: What did Jesus mean when he said, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. 6:14-15)?
These verses are from a sermon by Jesus, and I am sobered to learn that no one is a true Christian or destined for heaven if they are ungrateful and unforgiving. Jesus would say, "If you accept My forgiveness, you must forgive."
If the forgiveness we received through the blood of Jesus Christ is so ineffective in our hearts that we are determined to hold onto grudges and bitterness, we are not saved. We don't value this forgiveness. We don't believe in this forgiveness. We don't accept and value this forgiveness.
If the sins done to you have hurt you so much that you think you can't forgive, think about the wounds Jesus suffered for you. He did it willingly and with love. If that forgiveness secured for you by the blood of Jesus is so ineffective in our hearts that we are bent on withholding forgiveness and instead nurturing grudges and bitterness against those who’ve hurt us, we are unsaved.
I wish I could offer you a simple answer that works for all situations, but that's not the case. There are clear references to repentance in the Bible, the most clear and well-known being what Jesus said in Luke 17:3–4: "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
If the person who hurt us repents, we must forgive them. But what if they don't change their minds? No one talks about that. Jesus doesn't even say, "You can forgive them if they don't repent, but you don't have to."
Some say forgiveness is conditional, meaning you must apologize before being forgiven. They also point to how God has forgiven us. When we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus, God forgives us. Paul says in Ephesians 4 that we should forgive others as God in Christ forgave us. This makes it seem like he thought forgiveness was conditional, meaning that the person who did wrong had to first repent in order for it to happen. But if that's the case, why doesn't he talk about repentance?
But there are also texts where repentance is not mentioned, like what Paul says in Colossians 3:13. This is why many people say that we have to forgive all the time, even if the person who hurt us doesn't say they're sorry.
I don't have a simple answer to this question. But I am sure I can say a few things.
First, you have to forgive the person who hurt you if they say they're sorry. That is obvious.
Second, you must love, bless, and do good for those who wronged you, even if they never repent. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matt. 5:44). In Romans 12, Paul says, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (vv. 14, 20-21).
Third, this makes me want to make a difference between internal forgiveness and external forgiveness. When I refer to "internal" forgiveness, I mean the decision to refrain from seeking revenge or harboring anger and hatred towards the person in your heart. This occurs when the Spirit transforms your feelings towards the person who hurt you, shifting from anger and a desire for revenge to love and prayer for them. You are choosing to let them go free when they should be punished. You are not letting your heart stay angry and bitter toward that person. But all of this happens inside. You don't have to tell them or anyone else about it.
You are still fighting with the person who did something wrong when you do that. They haven't asked for forgiveness, and they think it's unnecessary. We should still bless them, and that blessing means that we have forgiven them in our hearts. After all, holding a grudge is the opposite of forgiving, but blessing is the opposite of holding a grudge, so blessing is a kind of forgiving.
The memorial service for Charlie Kirk is a wonderful recent example of internal forgiveness. The man who is accused of murder is in jail waiting for his trial, but he hasn't shown any signs of remorse or confessed to the crime. But Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, says, "I forgive him," with tears streaming down her face.
However, forgiveness from others presents a completely different challenge. You need to say to them, "I forgive you in my heart and let you go of any pain you might deserve for sinning against me." I won't ask God to punish you for what you did. I won't try to make you pay for the wrongs you did to me. I won't use your sin against you anymore or hold it over your head. And I will work hard in God's grace to fix our relationship and bring us back together.
Internal forgiveness is always there. After all, why would you want to spend the rest of your life angry, bitter, and unable to forgive? You are not required to take any action toward the individual who wronged you in order to forgive them internally.
On the other hand, external forgiveness is not always given. It can only be extended if the person really feels remorseful about the wrongs they did to you. You don't have to trust them or make it easy for them to hurt you again.
You are not required to reconcile with them in order to forgive them. You may want to make up, but you don't have to try to do so. It may be risky to try that, especially if they have proven untrustworthy.
On the other hand, external forgiveness is almost the same as reconciliation. It occurs when both you and the person who hurt you agree to work on your relationship. But that won't happen until they change their minds. It won't be simple to get trust back. It needs time.
One last question: What did Jesus mean when he said, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. 6:14-15)?
These verses are from a sermon by Jesus, and I am sobered to learn that no one is a true Christian or destined for heaven if they are ungrateful and unforgiving. Jesus would say, "If you accept My forgiveness, you must forgive."
If the forgiveness we received through the blood of Jesus Christ is so ineffective in our hearts that we are determined to hold onto grudges and bitterness, we are not saved. We don't value this forgiveness. We don't believe in this forgiveness. We don't accept and value this forgiveness.
If the sins done to you have hurt you so much that you think you can't forgive, think about the wounds Jesus suffered for you. He did it willingly and with love. If that forgiveness secured for you by the blood of Jesus is so ineffective in our hearts that we are bent on withholding forgiveness and instead nurturing grudges and bitterness against those who’ve hurt us, we are unsaved.
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"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me; for they are Thine." (John 17:9)
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