Do you ever have days that you can’t decide what to do first because you have so much to accomplish? And, some of those things are fun things but the “have to do” list is overwhelming. This is my life, especially in the summer when everything is blooming and there is much work to be done in the garden. If only I could become like a bee. They know exactly what they are made to do and when to do it.
In the life cycle of worker bees (which are all female, by the way), they start out as housekeepers and nurse bees who keep the hive clean and care for the newborn bees. At about 2 weeks of age, they become attendants to the Queen Bee, taking care of all her needs since her only job in the hive is lay eggs. The workers then transition to house bees who collect the pollen and nectar from other bees to store in the hive. They keep the hive at a constant 95 degree temperature by fanning their wings (fascinating!). At a little less than 3 weeks of life, these bees get their first glimpse of the outside world by becoming guard bees who remain at the entrance of the hive to make sure nothing gets in that doesn’t belong. Finally, the worker bees become foragers that we see buzzing in our gardens, gathering and bringing back the pollen and the nectar to the hive. During the summer, when bee activity is at its highest, a worker bee only lives 42-45 days but in the winter, she may live as long as 6 months. Such a short but productive life!
God has built into the bees the instinct to know what to do and when to do it their whole life which is amazing. There are times that I wish I could have this kind of instinct. I often worry and ponder if I’m doing the right thing at the right time. I can sometimes feel like I’m floundering without direction. But then I think of Elijah when he traveled to Mt. Horeb to meet God. There was a great wind, an earthquake and a fire but God was not to be found in any of these. However, when Elijah listened closely, he heard God in a still, small voice. This is a reminder that no matter how much distraction there is from the noise and clamor of the world, God can still be found in the quiet times, if we allow ourselves this space. God puts the instinct in the bees to direct their short lives. How much more does He put His Spirit within us to speak to us and show us the direction our lives should go. All we need to do, as difficult as it seems in this busy world, is to slow down and just listen to His still small voice.
