Day 88 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Sometimes It Is Messy
roverbs 14:4 [ESV] Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
There is a saying in the USA that goes something like this, “If you want to make an omelet, you’ve got to crack a few eggs.” To me, the message of this proverb is similar: you can have a clean manger or you can use an ox and put up with some ox mess in your manger to get abundant crops.
The life and struggle of the Christian is often messy work. It makes perfect sense that this would be true since the work of removing sin from our lives required blood – the precious blood and sacrifice of Jesus. So, sometimes removing sin from our lives or staying obedient in tough times requires our own “blood, sweat and tears.”
Hebrews 12:3-4 [ESV] 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
The use of the word “yet” indicates to me that Paul expected the Christians he was writing might, in the future, face such a struggle that did require blood.
God calls us to produce much fruit for the Kingdom, as Jesus explained in the parable of the sower. Mark 4:20 [ESV] But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
Sisters, we are not called to have a clean manger. We are called to hitch our carts to Jesus and plow like oxen through the sin-filled soil of our own hearts so that the seed of the Word can be planted and prosper there. Removing sin can be messy work. However, the burden of eliminating sin is not as heavy as the burden of carrying it. Jesus said, in Matthew 11:28-30 [NKJV] 28 "Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." Jesus has already done the hard work of paying for our sins and He now works with us to remove them.
Once the Gospel is firmly planted in our own lives, we are to plant that seed of the Gospel in the world. In His own time, Jesus said that the fields where “white already to harvest.” [John 4:35]. How much more are they ready now – almost 200 years later?
For both the inner work of removing sin and the outer work of preaching the Gospel, we must understand that the work can be messy – dirty - difficult. We must choose the messy work rather than the clean stall. If we want a bumper crop, we need to be willing to get our hands dirty with the work God calls us to do.
Prayer – Lord, God, You have called me to participate in your harvest. I know it may be messy work. Sin does not leave easily. Though it may be difficult work at times, choose to participate with You in planting and harvesting obedience in my own heart and in the world around me. Plant your Word in me, Oh Lord. Help me to plant Your Word in the world around me. In Jesus name I ask to join and extend His work on the earth each day. Amen.
Your thoughts —
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