Antzilla!

Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Welcome to Australia! This delightful continent is home to many of the world’s most poisonous snakes and spiders, not to mention deadly sea creatures like the box jellyfish, salt water crocodiles, and everybody’s favorite – the great white shark. Today, however, we’re going to talk about another creature you don’t want to meet on your next trip down under. It’s called the jumper ant because it can jump as high as two inches into the air. But most people call it the bulldog ant, and with good reason.

These aggressive ants got their name from their powerful sting, strong grip, and savage biting behavior. Bulldog ants are fast and they’re big, growing up to 1.6 inches in length. This makes them among the largest ants in the world. Their eyes are big, too, so they don’t miss a thing. Their long mandibles are menacing, especially with their rows of long teeth.

But they’re even more dangerous at their posterior end, where their venomous stinger is located. The ant’s aggressive behavior is so famous, it was even immortalized in one of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s major works. “If it is cut in two,” he wrote, “a battle begins between the head and the tail. The head seizes the tail in its teeth, and the tail defends itself bravely by stinging the head.”

While aggressive behavior is the rule in a world that has been corrupted by sin, Christians exhibit a different kind of behavior – looking out for the benefit of others.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You will constantly remind me – especially when I am hurt by others – that I am not to return evil for evil. I am to return evil with forgiveness and love. Amen.

Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/05/bulldog-ants/moffett-text. http://www.animalspot.net/bulldog-ant.html. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldog_ant. The World as Will and Representation, A. Schopenhauer. Photo: Head detail of bulldog ant. Courtesy of Matt Inman. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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