Economic Life Among Bumblebees

2 Thessalonians 3:10
“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Although a bumblebee’s life to us may seem relaxing, the fact is that the pace for the bumblebee is as hectic as for any human sitting in rush hour traffic. This is largely because, like humans, bumblebees are warm blooded.

Many books about bee societies extol the virtues of communism. These books almost make it appear as if bees sit around deciding who should work which flowers, all for the good of the hive. But it is precisely because this method is less productive that warm-blooded bumblebees, who need more energy, must use a system which requires personal initiative to increase productivity.

Researchers have found that bumblebees gather nectar and return it to the hive completely on their own initiative. Young bumblebees gather nectar from many different kinds of flowers until they find which flowers produce the most nectar. When the most rewarding flowers dry up, they switch to the second most rewarding. So individual motivation leads each bee to make the most of his own efforts. As a result, the entire colony benefits.

One researcher commented that this method works so well that it almost looks like the entire hive is guided by an “invisible hand”. This is more than simply appearance, for God does care for all His creatures, including you and me. He has shown His greatest love for us in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we could have the forgiveness of sins through Him.

Prayer:
Lord, I thank You that You left the Father’s presence in heaven to take our humble form upon Yourself. I believe Your Word which tells me that You have carried my sin so that, through forgiveness, I could stand cleansed before my Creator. Amen.

Notes:
Photo: Courtesy of Alvesgaspar. Licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.