but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
(Proverbs 14:4)
I've seen a fair amount of feeding troughs and cow pies since I grew up in an area where there were plenty of pastures that cattle grazed in, but I guess I can't really say that I know what an oxen manger or pies looks like. Perhaps the latter are a bit like the buffalo chips you see depicted in Westerns--the ones that they use as fuel for their fires?? S'mores anyone? It sounds like I'm on my way down a rabbit trail, but the first half of this verse really is about the presence or absence of oxen troughs and dung. But the second part is about what else oxen do: bring in a crop. The farmer then, as he thinks about how he is going to make ends meet, needs to think about the pros and cons of having oxen. He realizes that owning one (or many) means that he's going to have to shelter, feed, and clean up after this huge beast. That's a messy job that includes expenses and daily maintenance. But then when it's time for field work, that ox is going to be a huge blessing that will save a ton of time and energy, not to mention the yielding of a bigger harvest overall.
So yes, this proverb is speaking of poop and productivity. But the Proverbs are meant to teach us more than only what the words say; they're about principles we're meant to apply to our daily lives. In other words, we take a verse like this one and ask ourselves, "What sort of thing(s) is like an ox in my life? What might I be possessing, or considering possessing, that comes both with significant cost and significant gains?" For us, it's an extra property that we own. Not having it would in some ways mean a "cleaner," simpler life. But possessing it is, when both units are rented out, is an income stream for us. This is one of those deals that has, for the last year as we've lived nearly 1 1/2 hours away, been such a toss up for us. There are enough complications in life and things to put energy into right in one's own neighborhood to keep a family busy enough. But being a single-income household is getting to be more and more of a challenge with each passing day, and that property serves as that other part-time income...when it's working well.
What then are the oxen in our lives? What, when we weigh the pros and cons, still leave us wondering what to do and which way to go? What is the God motivated way in this area for the Christ follower? That is, what direction do we go when we might think of what it looks like to be about kingdom work as we aim at the glory of God being more thoroughly displayed through our lives--does the ox stay or go? The answers lie with the One who is to be our motivation; seek wisdom from Him today.
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