"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox." (Proverbs 14:4 KJV).

This ancient proverb reminds us that there is a price to pay for productivity. Oxen are animals known for their ability to work. They can lift loads, bear burdens, and pull machinery beyond the ability of the human frame. The oxen represent that which expands our personal production capacity, such as other team members, new equipment, new procedures, a new business or a new mission.

With the oxen come the consequences. We must be prepared for them or we will be disillusioned and discouraged. We must be willing to sacrifice your clean crib. There is an obvious trade off that occurs when we accept oxen into our stalls. While oxen may be work animals, they are not house-broken. They are not tidy. They are not always submissive. They don't look after themselves well. The oxen need to be fed, housed, cared for and cleaned up after. We must be willing to put up with the nature of the beast. There are certain things that come with the package. While oxen may expand our capacity for effectiveness and productivity, they also add to our lives responsibilities, certain realities and hardships that challenge our personal comfort zone and house-pride.

The spiritual application is this: The ox represents the work of God. If we accept it, we are taken beyond ourselves. In the Scriptures, the ox also speaks of a servant that is ready to suffer the consequences of taking on a labor (Matthew 11:28). The ox image is associated with the vision of the glorious work of God manifested through Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 1:10, Revelation 4:7; John 4:34, 5:17; 9:4, 17:4) who took on the responsibility of executing the work of our redemption. To Him it meant the great sacrifice of leaving the clean crib of a heavenly environment and putting up with the dirty straw and the deceitfulness of sinners. To Him it would mean sacrificing his own agenda, his own comforts and bearing the cross of obedience to the Father unto death. It was for this purpose that He came. He counted the cost. He realized that sacrifice and suffering came with the package. By taking on this work, He became God's instrument to provide salvation to all those who would receive it by trusting in Him.

Are you willing to be an instrument of God by taking on His work and allowing Him to work through you? The promise is that the Holy Spirit will take you far beyond yourself and impact many more lives than you ever dreamed possible. The reality is that you must let go of your desire to control everything. You must sacrifice your vision of a clean crib. You cannot have everything ordered according to your own preferences. There will be messes. There will be surprises to cope with. There will be a sacrifice of some creaturely comforts. But the end result will prove that it is all worth it. The Holy Spirit will bear the load for you, if you stay in fellowship with Him, and your yoke will be easy and burden will be light as you participate in the work of God.

Your yoke-fellow,