Proverbs 14:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
via Prov 14:4 NASB – Where no oxen are the manger is clean – Bible Gateway.

I am a simple-minded, long removed from the country-girl woman. However as I share what I see in today’s verse it will confirm to you that getting the country out of the girl is a long process. 🙂

Obviously, in a barn (manger) without oxen (cows, horses, or mules, same principle) there is no poop, no hold your nose smell and no messy clean up.But that is not all there isn’t in a barn without oxen. Neither is there fertilizer – a much-needed commodity to grow rich, healthy foods and neither is there strength to pull the plow to till the ground to grow the crops.

Babies.
Babies are messy. They too poop and smell up the place but love makes them worth every smelly diaper, two o’clock feedings, all night floor pacing and the list goes on and on.

People – family – friends.
Sometimes they are messy too. They stink up our lives sometimes with the things they do and say.

So what am I saying? A life lived in love gets messy and sometimes it just down right stinks! BUT the rewards are worth it!  Enriching the lives of others, seeing the Holy Spirit ‘fertilize’, water and cultivate the seeds you have sown in the heart of a messy soul is worth it all when the fruit of holiness begins to peek its glorious head.

Proverbs 14:4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

Barnyard animals and Messy People — how you handle them just might make you rich.  🙂

HOLY SPIRIT,  I pray the ‘humor’ of this piece of writing will be useful and will be a tool fit for teaching Your Truth to receptive hearts. I pray we will apply ourselves to knowing Your Word and allow Your Word to equip us to love wisely the messy people in our lives; to love them so much they come looking for You. Amen and amen.

Please click HERE and pray.

Brave the Dark with The LIGHT,
Kathie

WEDNESDAYS are Praying for IDOKs by name days. If you have specific matters that you’d like for me to pray about with you, click HERE and let me know.