No worries – it was news to me too: It’s ‘Don’t stand on a bee day.’ Be (!) pollinator aware. I would like to think that a church community is like a bee colony. Bees are critical for pollinating flowers allowing the production of fruit and seeds. Christians too, spread the Good News to others allowing the fruit of the Holy Spirit to develop and God’s Kingdom to grow on Earth, just as bees enhance crop yields and improve the quality of produce. The work of Christians hopefully makes the world a better place.
Bees feed on nectar for energy and pollen for protein. We, as Christians, feed on God’s Word to maintain us and keep us going especially when times are hard. In a bee colony, each bee has its own job to do – whether it’s the queen, a worker or a drone – none can exist without others to support it. Each has value and worth. In the same way, we have different skills and roles in a church and we all equally need each other.
There are many predators and dangers for bees. Mammals, birds, insects and parasitic mites as well as climate and weather conditions can prove hazardous. An individual bee may protect themselves by stinging a threat, just like a Christian may use Scripture and prayer in self defence. However, when under corporate attack, bees have hive defence strategies in which they all work together to maintain colony survival and stability. The Church as a praying and loving community is a force to be reckoned with if under spiritual attack.
I read somewhere recently that the only human food made by an insect is honey. Honey has many nutritional, medicinal and delicious properties. Honey is a sweet, viscous substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, containing sugars, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. It is primarily made by bees to nourish their colonies as it is a source of quick energy.
It’s no wonder that the Israelites were encouraged on their forty-year wanderings by the prospect of a land flowing with milk and honey. Even the colour of honey reminds us of golden luxury and decadence. It starts off as pollen and is transformed into an amazing product. We too as Christians can be agents of transformation as we are filled with God’s Spirit and live lives of service to Him. So, don’t stand on a bee!