God’s Word for Today 27 Nov, 2024 4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. - Prov 14:4 ESV THE STRENGTH OF AN OX The basketball team, Chicago Bulls, has dominated NBA in the 80’s under the leadership of Michael Jordan. During those years, the bull’s head icon with flaming eyes and towering twin sharp horns became a dominant figure portraying power and strength. This icon has been proudly displayed in Sporting Stores and jerseys the basketball enthusiasts wear. The bull or ox is noted for its strength in agriculture. The absence of an ox gives a picture of a clean manger – no dung, no foliage no urine smell. The manger is empty and silent. But, it means also that the barn is empty. Without the ox to till and plow the field, there will be no grains. It’s by the strength of an ox that there will be abundant harvest of crops. This is how essential the ox is in farming. Of course, the farmer has to take care this working animal. He should feed him. The animal consumes a great deal of foliage and grass. Consequently, it produces a considerable amount of waste. This means the food trough and barn have to be stocked always. The farmer should not neglect the unpleasant and menial work to keep the ox fed and healthy. This is indispensable in farming. The result, however, is something that only the strength of the oxen can provide - a plentiful harvest. What does this mean to us today? Firstly, we should not despise those who give us favor in life. A working animal should not be abused. Moses said, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.”[Deut 25:4] Solomon even added, saying: “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”[Prov 12:10] Should we not be much more good in treating people – the servants and employees working tirelessly and diligently for their masters or employers? Let us not be a fool to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. James sternly warned against abusive landlords to their underprivileged laborers, saying,” Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.”[Jas 5:1-6] The second thing to take note is hard work pays dividends. An honest day's work for an honest day's pay is a worthy principle to live by. Trying to feed and clean oxen is a tedious job. But, it’s an unimaginable hardship to farm without an ox. Watch in YouTube: https://youtu.be/lPuuvKVODmg Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast Spotify: http://bit.ly/glccfil_spotify Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-applepcast Google Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-googlepcast Audible Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-audible Follow us on various media platforms: https://gospellightfilipino.contactin.bio #gospellightfilipino #godswordfortoday #bookofProverbs