Helping is Messy - The Ox - The Character of Creatures

This is a chapter from the book The Character of Creatures: What the Animal Kingdom Teaches Us About God and His Word.

Helping is Messy – The Ox

Another beast of burden is the ox. They are very strong and can move far more weight than any person can. But they are messy animals and have to be cleaned up after. Today lots of people use tractors instead of oxen, because a tractor is a lot cleaner. But for many years the ox made messes while helping to produce healthy crops.

And God designed it this way:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean. But abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. ~ Proverbs 14:4

Discussion:

1.      Have you ever helped to make a meal? Was the kitchen clean or messy afterwards? Did you make great memories? Getting work done is messy, and sometimes we forget the blessings that come from needing to clean up.

2.     Helping people in need can cost you time, effort, and often get quite messy. But God has designed that people will not call on Jesus unless someone tells them about him. God is the only one who can turn a mess into a message.

3.     Just because clutter is part of the process, does that mean we shouldn’t clean up? No, God wants things done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40), so if you want an abundant crop of faith, hope, and love, be prepared to do some cleaning.

A farmer, if he is a lover of a clean stall, will have no oxen; but he who is desirous of a rich and plentiful harvest will not grudge to have his floor dirty. ~ John Calvin