“Don’t short-circuit the messy but holy process of growth and abundance.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 6, 2023
Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty: but where there is much corn, there the strength of the ox is manifest. Proverbs 14:4, DRA
From time to time, I find myself visiting the farm supply store around the corner from my house. Though I am well outside their target customer demographic, I’ve found it to be a helpful alternative to the big-box home repair stores that are more than twice the distance away. Whenever I’m in this local store, I’m struck by the pristine nature of farming equipment that is destined for barns and fields. The metal is polished and paint in pristine condition, yet the second it leaves the store, it finds itself in a very different reality: exposed to the elements, “working” long, hard hours, and likely never returned to its original state. And yet, this is exactly as it should be, for the showroom floor is not where farm equipment belongs!
Proverbs 14 paints a picture of messy abundance, with the ox replacing the tractor as the farmer’s trustworthy companion. Yes, an ancient farmer could keep a perfectly ordered and organized barn, free from the headache of livestock, yet in so doing, would ensure his barn was also free of crops! In order to celebrate the goodness of an abundant harvest, the farmer must be willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard, dirty work of farming.
What does “messy abundance” look like in your life?
Though I am not a farmer, I am the father of three young children, and as I read this proverb, I can’t help but think of the many times I’ve longed for a “pristine barn.” At times it seems children and oxen have far too much in common! The signs of my children’s presence are everywhere to be found, leaving their mark on virtually every corner of our home. However, to be a parent is to enter joyfully into the messy abundance of child-rearing, seeing the disorder and even, at times, the chaos of family life as the only path that leads to life.
Take time today to reflect on other areas of your life in which a desire for order, predictability, or stability may run the risk of short-circuiting a muddy but holy process of growth and abundance. Dig deep, get dirty, and enter joyfully into the mess of life!
Prayer
Father, may fear of the unknown or a desire for safety and order never keep us from entering into the great adventure that is life with you, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What does “messy abundance” look like in your life?
Related Reading
Genesis 27:28; Proverbs 22:6; Jeremiah 17:7-8
Worship Resource
Shane & Shane: My Portion
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