Are you an ox
or a sheep? People in ancient times knew
a lot about both of these critters, but these days they’re not as familiar to
most of us. However, they offer two
different ways to understanding who we are, and how we can relate to God.
Sheep are led
and fed; the shepherd guides and cares for them. In return, they provide fleece, which becomes
good sturdy and warm woolen clothing.
The sheep grow their wool without any effort and stress. They simply go about their merry way under
the care of the shepherd, and the wool comes naturally. Research shows that sheep who are well fed
and cared-for produce superior fleece. And
the sheep do it without any work of skill of their own. It’s all up to the one who takes care of
them.
Today’s dairy
cattle live similarly to the sheep of ancient times. The farmer monitors and manages their feed
and living conditions, and the cows produce their milk naturally. Good milk production comes not from the cows’
efforts or exertion, but from what the farmer does to care for them.
Oxen, on the
other hand, are whipped and worked. In
the olden days, the ox was everyone’s powerhouse: pulling the plow, threshing
the grain, powering the mill. The ox
driver pushed them to strain themselves and give their maximum effort to be
productive. Any rest the oxen received
was simply so they could be more effective for their labor the next day. The oxen endured difficult lives of hard work. There were no green pastures for them; only
the yoke and the stall. The Bible
frequently mentions the ox yoke as a symbol of oppression and punishment (for
example, Exodus 6:6-7, 1 Kings 12:13-14, Jeremiah 27-28, and Galatians 5:1).
Scripture
tells us that Jesus is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and we are sheep of his pasture
(Psalm 100:3). God did not intend for us
to live like oxen; such an existence came from a life lived far away from him
and his good plan for us all.
When we
recognize God’s love and power in our lives, it is normal and healthy for us to
want to respond by giving him our very best.
But the Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 23:1),who makes us lie down in green
pastures and leads us to still waters. He
is not our harsh ox driver, driving us with whips and goads. The more closely
we follow him and receive what he offers for us, the more fulfilling and
blessed our lives become. And what we
offer to him in return flows as naturally from who we are as fleece grows on a
sheep.
God leads and
feeds us. As we follow him and receive
what he offers, what we offer to him in return flows naturally from our lives. Our service and devotion to him is not compelled
with harsh discipline; it is rather an effortless response that flows from
within. For this reason, we discover joy
instead of drudgery when we follow God’s leading, whether it is to care for
those in need, express our faith to the curious, or act for justice.
