It's gonna get messy

When we lived in Georgia we often visited a BBQ restaurant whose slogan was "It's Gonna Get Messy!". They got it right. The trade off for enjoying their succulent, fall-off-the-bone ribs was sticky fingers and face, but (as evident by their long lines) it was worth it.

This morning I was reading a proverb that echoed the same sentiment about trade-offs. Proverbs 14:4 says, "Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest." The trade-off; You can have a neat, tidy, sanitized stable OR you can reap a HUGE harvest, but it's gonna be messy.

What's my take on the application? Here goes:

John 4 tells us, "Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for the harvest... the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life....". So the harvest represents "people brought to eternal life" and the "oxen" are the ones working the fields to prepare for and reap the harvest. (Great commission, baby!) By the very nature of the task the oxen are bound to get dirty and bring it home to the stables, but that's the only way to reap a huge harvest! Getting dirty!!! It seems to me the rewards far outweigh the cost. Kind of like those ribs (but on a much BIGGER scale...infinity).

That's all for our lesson today. Now, go get dirty!