Proverbs 14:4 “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.”
Nothing of value comes without work…it cannot be avoided. To avoid work is to resign yourself to a life of constant want. If you were a farmer, you might not like having to clean up after your ox, or horse, or any other beast of burden…but without them, you certainly wouldn’t be able to produce what you can with them! Cleaning a crib, or a stall is not something you only do once. It’s a daily “Dirty Job,” and someone’s got to do it if you want healthy, productive animals. This is true whether we are farmers or not. There are always dirty jobs that have to be done on a daily basis…things we’d rather not do, but are necessary if we are going to see the results we desire. Dirty jobs often manifest themselves as the daily work required if we are to be truly successful fathers, husbands, sons, employees, friends, disciples, etc… It’s the discipline of keeping the stalls of your life clean that makes way for your increase. As you begin 2021, don’t let the unpleasantness of a task, or the fear of inconsistency, discourage you from tackling the effort. Grab your shovel and jump in!
