Some of the most meaningful and worthwhile things in life take work. Think about the things you appreciate and value most in life. Maybe you think of your kids that you have raised, a cherished pet, a person you invested in, or a project you have completed. What kind of effort did they require? If you think long enough, I bet you will remember that there were some messes along the way. Here is a bit of wisdom that reminds us of the perspective we ought to have when it comes to messes.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. -Proverbs 14:4 (ESV)
If you have animals, they’re going to have to be fed and if you feed them, you’re going to have to clean up the mess that inevitably follows. If it’s an ox that you have, the food and the mess are all the bigger. But what is the payoff of having oxen? You have the strength that is required to bring in an abundant harvest. In order to get an abundant harvest, there will be work and messes to clean up along the way. Of course, you could forgo the oxen and the mess altogether, but then there would be no harvest to look forward to.
There are lifechanging things that God asks us to pursue. There is a harvest that the Master wants us to be apart of, but we can’t be detoured by potential messes or be afraid to get our hands dirty. Think for a moment. Do you often fret about the mess? Have you ever missed out something good God had for you because it seemed like too much work? What are you focused on, the mess or the Master?
The best things in life take work and trust me they are worth it. God has given you the divine privilege of working with Him to help people find life, hope, and salvation in Jesus Christ. The people God wants you to reach will sometimes make a mess, but don’t fret about the mess just keep following the Master. There is a harvest that’s coming.