In one of his legendary fables, Aesop, the master storyteller, tells of an encounter between an ant and a grasshopper. It was a sunny summer day, and the grasshopper was relaxing and making music. Then the ant came by, carrying a load of food to its nest. “Why not come and chat with me,” said the grasshopper, “instead of working so hard all day?”
“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” replied the ant, “and I recommend you do the same.”
“Oh, why bother about winter?” said the grasshopper. “That’s so long from now. There will be time to worry about winter later.” But the ant went on its way and continued its toil.
As the fable goes, winter arrived, and the grasshopper found itself in dire need of food. However, the ant and its companions had plenty to eat. Their wise preparation for the future had served them well.
The only thing we know for sure about the future is that it is mostly unpredictable. We can’t anticipate all of our challenges and opportunities. But we do know that summer is always followed by winter. Times of plenty don’t last forever, and they frequently give way to less prosperous circumstances. By preparing for the future, we lessen the impact of hard times and put ourselves in a position to help others in need.
With so many demands on the present, the future often gets neglected. Like the grasshopper, we easily slip into a pattern of living day to day, without much thought for tomorrow. That’s why it’s so critical to take a lesson from Aesop’s ant: even a little preparation now can pay great dividends later.
In Proverbs we read, “Go to the ant . . . ; consider her ways, and be wise.” If we do what we can to prepare now, we can face the unknown of the future with the peace, the assurance, and the satisfaction known only to those who are prepared.
Oct. 11, 2015
Broadcast Number 4,491
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductor
Mack Wilberg
Guest Artist
Sylvia McNair
Organist
Linda Margetts
Host
Lloyd Newell
Look to the Day
John Rutter
Awake the Harp, from The Creation
Franz Josef Haydn
Softly and Tenderly
Will L. Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg
Intermezzo
Leroy Robertson
This Little Light of Mine
Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
My Favorite Things, from The Sound of Music
Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
Climb Ev’ry Mountain, from The Sound of Music
Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris