Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.Proverbs 14:4, ESV
Every now and then, a verse that you've probably read hundreds of times before just jumps out and grabs your attention. That's always a fun experience, and since I started re-reading the Bible in a new translation, I find it happening more and more. Besides, did the author really just make a point based on ox manure? I think so.
Having cleaned a few horse corrals before, I am no stranger to shoveling manure. Cleaning up after the farm animals was doubtless one of the less pleasant chores for the pre-industrial farmer. It makes sense, then, that the simplest way to get rid of the chore would be to get rid of the oxen themselves. I imagine an empty stable is much easier to keep clean.
Normally, I'm an advocate of this kind of minimalism. In this day and age, our homes and closets and garages and storage facilities are packed with stuff that we think we need. How much time and energy do we spend maintaining a lifestyle that's just not worth it?
But in this case we see something else: sometimes a desirable outcome comes with some unpleasant requirements. And not only that, but the abundant crops come once a year, while cleaning the stables is a daily chore.
Pick some desirable outcome in your life. It's not too difficult to imagine that there may be some unpleasant chores to be dealt with along the way. I suppose the question then becomes, how much do you want the abundant harvest?
