Life is Messy
Without oxen a stable will stay clean,
But you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
Proverbs 14:4
In our culture, few people know what it's like to grow up on a farm with animals. Maybe they had a dog or a cat. But while that does take responsibility, it's nothing compared to maintaining many animals on a farm. So, the wisdom in this verse may not be clear.
King Solomon wrote Proverbs, and during the biblical times in which he lived, the Israelites highly valued oxen. Deuteronomy 25:4 indicates these animals were a key to agricultural production, which is confirmed in the second part of this proverb. The strength of an ox produced many crops. By using them to plow and harvest, a household's prosperity would increase.
Yet, it wasn't that easy. The oxen had to be fed and watered. Shelter was needed during storms. Worst of all, the animal created waste that had to be continually cleaned up. In other words, the profit it provided didn’t' come without a price.
So, just don't get an ox - as this Proverb indicates. Pretty simple. No ox, no expense and no mess. However, giving up the animal also meant giving up the advantages that came with it. Choosing a clean barn over the benefit of a crop isn't necessarily a good choice. That is Solomon's point. To be productive, means using the right methods. And productivity often creates a mess.
It's natural to become frustrated and discouraged when life becomes untidy. However, big rewards usually require an effort, time and sometimes money. Not only that, accomplishing anything will include seasons of disarray. But a messy house (or a messy life) shows activity and not all opportunities come with an "easy" button. Yet the challenge provides the chance to grow, even if some chaos comes with it. The investment of labor, whether in oxen or life in general, comes with benefits. God has a plan, and when we commit our work to him, we will succeed. So, grab your boots and your shovel. Don't let the mess make you miss God's moment.
Life is messy.
But that's when God does his best work.
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