Here’s what I’m thinking about lately

Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,

But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox. (Proverbs 14:4)

Jim highlighted this verse a couple weeks ago, and it’s been ruminating in my head ever since. It brings comfort to me as I scan across our often cluttered house…school books piled on every horizontal surface, cake pans in the sink waiting to be washed, even dog bones scattered on the carpet.

If it was all spotless, that would be a sign that there were no oxen. And if there were no oxen, there would be no revenue.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big proponent of order and cleanliness, and aim to train the kids to have a strong work ethic as they grow up. But the goal is not cleanliness, the goal is ‘revenue.’ That’s revenue of the spiritual kind, not monetary kind.

School books are piled up because the boys are reading them, learning, growing. Dishes need to be washed because they are learning life skills like cooking. And well, the dog bones indicate they are learning to care for a pet…a wet-nosed, hairy pet.

I will gladly forgo worrying about keeping a ‘clean manger’ if it means gaining ‘much revenue.’