The Church -- God's Superorganism
Ants are everywhere. They thrive in forests, fields, deserts, and cities all over the planet. Their secret to success is that they all live and work together in highly organized communities, some of which have many millions of members.
Ants have the largest brains of any insects, but that doesn’t mean a single ant on its own is all that smart. As individual ants leave their nest in search for food, they walk in what appear to be random paths, hoping to come across something to eat. When an individual ant finds a food source, the ant will take a bit of the food back to the nest, leaving a trail of pheromones behind them to mark the path. Over time, ants organize their search, optimizing the best and shortest path between the food source and the nest. As more ants follow the optimal path back and forth, they leave more and more pheromones, which in turn attract more and more ants, creating a reinforcing efficiency effect. Over time, older ants gather more experience about the environment surrounding their nests, which makes it easier for them to forage effectively.
Even though individual ants can get smarter over time as they learn more about their surrounding environment, the real ant intelligence [and strength] is in the collective. They are so united toward the common purpose of growth and reproduction that they behave like a “superorganism.”
The Church -- the Body of Christ -- is not simply an institution, but rather a living organism. When the Body Christ functions as God intends, we become, like the ants, a superorgansim. Yes, we can be frutiful and grow stronger and more "spiritually" intellegent on our own. but, also like the ants, our real strength, our real intellegence is in the collective.
So many reasons, as Scripture encourages us, to, "Look to the ant ... consider her ways!" (Proverbs 6:6)"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12:4-5, ESV).
"From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:6, ESV).
There Is No 'I' In A Team of Ants
Is it any wonder that the writer of Proverbs asks us to "consider the ant?" What if every member of a local church worked together with that kind of teamwork? And what if all of the churches in the world combined their efforts? Can you imagine the impact we could have if we moved and operated as one? With Christ as our Head, shouldn't it be said of us that, "the operational unit is not the individual but the entire Church"?
"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!" (Proverbs 6:6).
"He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" (Ephesians 4:16).
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Let's Get All Gung Ho
Are you gung ho for sports? For some hobby? For Jesus? You know what's meant by the phrase--enthusiastic, excited, energetic. But why do we say it?
A few Europeans managed to get into China as soon as westerners began to be tolerated. All such visitors were awed by the Great Wall and other public works constructed by human labor. Big projects still under way employed vast numbers of coolies Chinese laborers. At an overseer's signal, they shouted "Gung ho!" in unison in order to synchronize movements.
It became more popular in the west when it became a slogan adopted by the U.S. Marines under General E. Carlson in World War II. Less than fully understood, the Chinese phrase for "work together" was applied to actions of enthusiasm.
Webb Garrison, formerly associate dean of Emory University and president of McKendree College, wrote more than 55 books, including Civil War Curiosities and Civil War Trivia and Fact Book before his death in 2000.
Our churches would be well served to get all gung ho--not just in terms of enthusiasm for ministry and the Gospel, but for the spirit of unity and collaboration, "working together" to accomplish great things for the Lord.
"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27).
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