KOTH: King of the Ant Hill

All Jesus did that day was tell stories--a long storytelling afternoon.

Episode #13 (rank #25) 5/4/1997




Hank wants to have the best lawn in the neighborhood for Cinco De Mayo, and he decides that Dale's weekly bug-spraying is hurting his lawn. He tells Dale not to spray his lawn anymore. To improve his lawn, Hank buys the best grass available, Raleigh St. Augustine. Angry at being fired as Hank's exterminator, Dale sabotages Hank's new lawn with fire ants. And when Hank gets Dale to kill the ants, it destroys the lawn completely. Meanwhile, Bobby adopts some fire ants, and he becomes a hypnotized slave of the Queen Ant.

Analysis:

Hank dismisses Dale as his exterminator after believing that Dale's spraying is a detriment to his lawn. Self-centeredness abounds as Hank covets his lawn & Dale covets his prowess as an exterminator. Neither are able to express their true feelings to the other as things only seem to escalate.

Dale redeems the situation with a truly self-less act that saves Bobby & ultimately reconciles the relationships of all involved. This is yet another illustration to how selfishness can kill relationship & cloud judgment. Dale's self-less act resembles that of another who willingly laid down his rights to self to restore relationship for our eternal benefit. He removed the sting or bite of death for us, restoring us completely & wholly if we would but seek & find.

Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.