Life is Sometimes Messy

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4

Reading through the Book of Proverbs each month for many years, this unusual verse did not escape my reading, but it had escaped my attention and understanding. I never gave it a second thought until God “pulled a string” one morning as I was reading, and the “light bulb” came on. It was one of those “wow” moments. That was twenty years ago.

God used floor grout in our most often used bathroom as a reminder of this verse. The grout grabbed my attention for several days as I entered the room. Why? The slight color variation of the main walk area to that of the less traveled perimeter told me it was time to clean those sandy lines between the tiles due to the room’s foot traffic.

An empty, unused animal stall stays nice and clean, but without oxen, the farmer had no help with his work in the field. The oxen helped meet his daily needs, outweighing the mess they left behind. Some people keep meticulous houses and want them to stay clean and clutter-free, so they seldom invite anyone to visit—a spotless house is more important than meeting others’ needs.

Where there are no people, there is no activity and no mess to clean up. But life is sometimes messy. When we invite or let people in our circle of living, our schedules, resources, nerves—our space in life sometimes gets muddled somewhere along the way. However, we were created for fellowship, serving one another, and sharing the message of Christ. True; if we never allow others to be part of our lives, our “stalls” will stay clean. But of what use is a meticulously kept life if you invite no one or only a select few to share it with you? If you close yourself off to other believers and a lost world, of what use are you to God’s kingdom? Take a good look at your “stable.” Does it show signs of fruitful living, or is it squeaky clean?