This morning we had devotion as a group, and the topic was about sacrifice of self for the greatest good. My mind then went back to the beehives myself and Sydney visited the previous day.

With our suits on for protection we were ready to venture into a protected territory (of ferocious African honey bees). Sam one of the workers from TEAMS guided us in, warning us to be cautious not to disturb bees who will attack and the slighted noise! Sam told us not to even flick them out of the way. As there were always a few buzzing around the hives scouting the area for enemies. If we were to even brush one off they would perceive it as a threat and call the others to come out and attack.

This spoke to me in many ways; bees were willing to die in order to protect what they believe in. After all once they sting you they die. The workers are protecting the queen who is ensuring the hive is kept alive by populating it with the next generation - almost like a pastor, ensuring that they birth a generation that will continue the work of faith and declare the message of the kingdom. In order for the new generation of bees to be as faithful and passionate as the current workers, they need to feed on the same food (the word of God) to know how it gives them substance and growth. Also the worker bee needs to know the vision of that hive, so it knows the purpose it was created for and the reason why it fights and who the enemy is! So even if we (humans) may look like giants in their eyes, the bees are not afraid to battle because they know what they fighting for and are willing to pay the cost!

Like Jesus, the worker bees die to protect the hive kingdom so that other generations may live to build more hive kingdoms around the land. That speaks of great love - "no greater love has a man than he lay down his life for a friend".

In the bee kingdom, the Queen, the workers and the drones (male bees) all have a purpose to fulfil for hive to survive and to keep their race alive. They all work tiredly to see the vision fulfilled. We as Christians are part of a royal priesthood and a holy nation, we are that peculiar race on the earth. The bees peculiar to us they may seem, are willing to pay the cost to keep their nation alive…

The question is are we?