Bee-you-till-full

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103 NIV

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Photo: Renae Bowman

 

Have you given much thought about the honeybee? (I know, weird question, but follow me on this).

 

I was enthralled with a contingent of bees working the bulbs of a plant in my garden.

 

With each buzz of their wings they moved into and out of the flower—drawing in the nectar.  They worked and worked and worked until their bellies were full.  Then some flew off, almost in prepared fashion, as others came in to take their place.

 

No aggression to speak of, no wasted time, just a focused mission.

 

Could these buzzing creatures be an example for us?

 

What if our faith resembled their actions?

 

Like the bee that takes in every drop until she is full, we too must drink in God’s holy Words until we are filled. As the bee returns to the hive with her gift to sustain the colony, we  must pass on to others His gift that saves lives.  It is what God asks of us.  It is why you are you and I am me–his children, here for a reason to propel His Truth to all.

 

But I wonder if a lot of times we are exactly opposite of bees?

 

Those nasty stingers.  They use theirs as a very last resort…we often use ours first.

The overall Mission.  They work for the common good for all…we start with “what’s in it for me?”

Their life source is set and they know what works…we’re always searching the latest and greatest.

 

Oh how our Creator wants us to be so much more than this.  He provides every detail for our lives and simply says come and drink of it and we will thrive.

 

King Solomon tried to teach his son about this very topic:

“Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24:13-14 NIV

 

Between King Solomon and the Psalmist, for our verse above, they understood that God is our life source.  And the sweetness of that source is found in the very words given to us to get through this thing called life:

 

Hope in the everlasting, Healing of our broken souls, Forgiveness of all our mistakes, and Grace when we deserve none of it.

 

 

So can we learn from a simple honeybee how to be closer to God?

 

I think we can.

 

And one more thing to keep in mind on this journey of our buzzing friends,  not all bees have those pesky stingers.  The drones that do the work in the hive, and are closest to the queen, are absent of the sharpened points.  I’m wondering how it would look like, as we draw closer to God, if we put away our barbs so none are intimidated to be next to God. I wonder how many more would be attracted to our Lord if we would simply care for the whole instead of being at the ready to sting a few.

 

I pray that you will be you, full to the brim of Him, so others will see the sweetness that can only come from one source–our Savior!

 

 

 

2 Replies

  1. Oh my dear Devery, you are too kind but my stinger is just as sharp. Too many people in my wake where I thought I was “protecting” God, forgetting he is much mightier than I ever will be. And it still is at the ready today. I MUST put it away and join you in seeking honey and wisdom as the outcome. Thank you dear friend!

  2. Devery

    “Blessed are the peacemakers….”, and that is you, my Sister, at very least, in this perspective about the honey bees. God’s design is perfect, and He did make the stinger bees to provide for the hive, and protect it’s life. You would be the one in the hive, stingerless, but in looking at my backside, there’s always been a sharp, pointy thing, often used, in fear of survival, (surprising as that might BEE), and though survival is no longer a fear factor, the stinger still remains. I trust God’s plan for it, and hope to use it for His glory. Honey, and wisdom, God willing, will be the outcome!

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