FEBRUARY 24, Proverbs 20:1

At dinner one evening, Michael was eager to share what he had learned about ants. “I’ve read from a book in the library that says every ant has a job to do in the ant community,” Michael told his family. “It says that some ants are nurses, and they care for ant eggs and baby ants. Some are builders; some are guards; some are farmers who harvest seeds and plant mushrooms.”

Michael’s sister, Emma, chuckled. “Do they ride horses, too?” she asked. Michael laughed. “No,” he said, “but guess what else? The book says some ants have drinking problems! A certain kind of beetle comes to their nest and squirts an intoxicating liquid onto the hairs of their back. The ants lick the stuff off the hairs, and it makes them drunk.”

“Drunk!” exclaimed Emma. “Ants get drunk? Really? Then what happens?”

“The beetles steal the ants’ eggs and larvae,” said Michael, “but the ants are so drunk, they don’t notice. Sometimes their work doesn’t get done for such a long time that their babies die and the ant community becomes a ghost town.”

“Really!” exclaimed Emma, “I didn’t know animals - especially insects - could get drunk! Those beetles must know how to make the stuff they squirt look really good.”

Michael was startled. Emma’s words made him think of the TV ads he had seen recently - ads that made alcoholic beverages look really good. His parents have always said that many problems and heartaches are caused by drinking alcohol, but it didn’t look that way in the commercials on television. They showed pretty girls and good-looking young men drinking, laughing, and having fun. Furthermore, some of them come in innocent looking cans that look like fizzy drinks. “Are those ads right?” wondered Michael, but he knew the answer. The ants were deceived by the beetles, and many people are deceived by the TV commercials and other ads for alcohol. “I’m not going to be one of them!” thought Michael, “Not me!”

Thought: Do you ever think drinking alcohol is “cool”?

Prayer: Although I am young, teach me Heavenly Father not to be fooled by TV ads and friends who may say drinking alcohol is alright. Remind me of the ant incident – I do not want to be like the ants! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.