Of 4-H Steers & the Holy Spirit
It’s that time of year again when the Kays boys have picked out their animals that they will raise as 4-H projects to take to the Fair in August. This year Ben and Josiah have chosen to take steers. Last year Ben took a steer but before that it was all goats and chickens and ducks (and it’s much easier to handle a goat or a duck than a steer!).
The animals had an official weigh-in back in March in order to keep track of their growth rate. That meant the steers had to be halter broke and the boys had to be able to lead them through a vet check to the scale. Ben and Josiah had to work hard to get their steers calm and build trust with them. Food is the great motivator; the steers are fed in the barn out of the weather, but they can only come in the barn by invitation and under a lead. Once inside they enjoy a feast of grain and alfalfa hay while getting brushed, a rub down, or a good belly scratch (if you were a steer you would really enjoy this too). It’s the bovine equivalent of a day spa!
They are eager to go in the barn and receive these benefits but they don’t want to be led by a human. They seem to have a bit of Frank Sinatra in them as they sing out, “I’ll do it my way!”
The steers are kind of like us, aren’t they? Oh sure, we smell better and have better hygiene, but we like to do things our way. We resist the lead rope. We tug and strain against the Holy Spirit. We quench the Spirit’s fire so we can have it our way.
We want the blessings of the barn but we insist on entering by our own way. We think we should have all the blessings of being a child of God, but we want to set the terms. And God won’t let anyone in who comes on their own terms.
Once the steer has learned the “Law of the Leash” he can be led around like a puppy. I remember last summer when Ben would walk his 1,100 lb steer, “Red,” up and down the street. The beast weighed more than ten times what Ben weighed and easily could have thrown him into the next field. It was something to see. But Red had learned submission. He learned when Ben had the end of the rope Ben was in charge.
Hebrews 12:9 tells us we ought to “submit to the Father of our spirits and live!” Let God take the lead and willingly follow behind. Put your full trust in the Divine Wrangler of our souls! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) The reward is so much better than grain and a belly scratching in the barn. It is an eternal city where the only light needed is the Lamb of God (Rev 21:23).
Trust Him!