| I recently had an opportunity
to participate in a branding and inoculation procedure at
a local cattle ranch, and it was an enlightening experience,
not only because of the shear volume of animals that have
to be serviced, but also at the tenacity and stubbornness
of these calves. For those of you who aren't familiar with
the process, here's how it works...the calves are separated
from the cows and bulls, then one-by-one, driven into a series
of metal shoots, one for holding the calf still while the
brand is applied and the vaccination is given, and one for
holding the next calf's place in line. My job was to push
the calf into the shoot and make sure he went in head first.
No problem, right? Well, as expected, the calves aren't not
necessarily keen on the idea, and do everything they can not
to go into the chute, including turning and backing in, trying
to go out other chute openings just wide enough for their
head or legs, and also kicking everything and everyone in
their path (want to see my bruises?). It takes all your strength
to put and keep the calves where they're supposed to go.
This experience made me think of us as God's children, pretty
much doing everything we can not to go in the direction that
God wants us to for our lives. It seems we spend most of our
time figuring out how we can do our own thing, rather than
asking God what he wants us to do. God knows what's best for
us, and his plan is in place to keep us and protect us, and
to use us in the way that he knows is best. Why are we so
stubborn and rebellious? It's in our nature to be defiant,
all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden (apple? what
apple?) In Mark, we see that even the men that walked on Earth
with Jesus were stubborn and rebellious, not believing what
Jesus had said only days before, even to the point of needing
to place a hand in the nail holes for proof.
Don't be like the calves, kicking and pushing and doing everything
to rebel against your Master. Look to him for his plan and
follow him. Let him place his mark on you for all to see that
you are a Child of God. Amazing things will happen when you
do this.
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