No, this is not a court case. But we are going to talk about messy versus clean.
In her book Prevail, Susie Larson had this as the focus verse for her day 153 devotional, The Miracle in the Mess :
Proverbs 14:4. ” Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.”
Some folks like to pretend their life is pristine. Nothing ever goes wrong. They spend a LOT of energy keeping stuff a secret and working diligently to hide it, and their favorite thing to do is to cast judgment on others from their seat of pride in a false life.
Here’s what Susie had to say:
” When facade matters more than fruit, we sacrifice our influence and our impact. However, when we’re committed to God’s people, God’s process, and God’s purposes, we’ll find miraculous life change, community impact, and kingdom movement. But it’s often messy. People are broken. Relationships are complicated. Conflict is no fun. And growth takes time… there is a big difference between a flashy appearance and a fruitful life. One is all show and no go, while the other is in the trenches, doing life with others, stewarding gifts, responding to needs, and moving forward in faith… it takes a strong person to stay the course, maintain perspective, and keep hope alive.
I figure the closer I get to Christ, the more Satan turns up the heat to try to derail me. How I live out my mess matters. How about you? Cleaning up after the ox, with you.-M
Michele Bruxvoort is sure to draw you in with her delightful sense of humor and love for living life. She enjoys reading, repurposing, as well as remodeling the family home with her husband. Drawing from her life experience as wife, mom, and follower of Jesus, Michele brings you a very honest and real perspective on life. When you don’t find her writing, you can find her mowing lawns, stocking shelves, taking care of her grandbaby and tackling her latest life adventure.
Wisconsin native and empty-nester, she now makes her home with her husband of 27 years in the South West Prairie plains of Minnesota.