Dave's Diary

Prayer

Lord of all Creation and Giver of Life, I worship You! May Your Word lead me into Life and Fruitfulness today. Amen.

Reading

Read Proverbs 14 slowly and prayerfully. Notice which verse particularly jumps out at you. Re-read that verse a few times, slowly. Write it down in your journal. Try to memorise it so that you can reflect on it without having to read from the page.

Prayerful Reflection

Now take that Proverb and think about your life at the moment. Is there a situation in your life to which that Proverb applies. Ask the Lord how this verse from His Word is telling you to live out His wisdom in that situation. Make notes in your journal.

A Devotional Thought

Proverbs 14: 
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (ESV)

“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean“. In this Proverb, the oxen symbolise work and productivity. The fact that there are multiple “oxen” symbolises teamwork. The Proverb reveals that the best way to prevent one’s life from becoming messy is never to try to get anything done, never to do anything new or risky, and certainly never to do anything in relationship with other human beings. The moment we connect with other people to get something done, life can become very messy. We all have different ways of seeing the world, and different ideas about how to get things done, so disagreements are inevitable and relational complications can arise very quickly. What’s more, the moment we step out to get something done, we enter the territory of the “law of unintended consequences” and find ourselves having to clean up messes that didn’t exist until we started to try to accomplish something. Only “where there are no oxen, the manger is clean“.

And yet, today’s Proverb reminds us that the “mess” is worth it because of the productivity that becomes possible. “Abundant crops come by the strength of the ox“. As the old saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” When we yoke ourselves to others in a team and attempt something together, we can get so much more done and we will have so much more endurance. Whatever messiness there may be will be shown to be worth it by the fruitfulness.

Derek Kidner wrote: “Orderliness can reach the point of sterility. This proverb is not a plea for slovenliness, physical or moral, but for the readiness to accept upheaval, and a mess to clear up, as the price of growth. It has many applications to personal, institutional and spiritual life, and could well be inscribed in the minute-books of religious bodies, to foster a farmer’s outlook, rather than a curator’s.”

Prayer

Almighty God, thank You for those You have brought into my life to work alongside me and to ‘do life’ with me. Help me to relate to them in healthy ways and to work with them effectively and efficiently to accomplish Your fruitfulness in my world. Amen.