I want to be smarter than a cow.
Now, before I hear anyone exclaim, “Too late!” please let me hasten to explain. As many of you know, I enjoy finding and adding antique books to my library. Of course, this is for the purpose of reading those books, and every now and then I find a nugget in them that is truly worth the effort required by musty pages or brittle covers. Recently, one such nugget was unearthed in my reading.
“One winter the celebration of the Savior’s birth happened upon a Sunday. Because of this, a farmer determined that he should attend to worship at a neighboring church. (As with many people, he believed that he might fulfill whatever religious obligation was truly his enduring the services at least twice a year—at Yuletide and in the spring for Easter Sunday.) The sermon expounded by the minister on that day was proclaimed from the Isaiah’s text, The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand (Isaiah 1:3). The reverend explained that the prophet to Israel was decrying the fact that the people of Israel were dumber than the animals. At the conclusion of the service the farmer returned to his pastures and stood in the midst of his livestock. As he stood and pondered, one of the cattle began to lick his hand—and the convicted farmer immediately found in this a practical demonstration of the sermon just declared to his ears. Strong man though he was, the farmer began to weep as he spoke within his heart, “God has done so much more for me, and yet I rarely, if ever, thank Him. My dumb animal is far more grateful than I am. What do I ever give her other than grass and water?”
So there you have it; now you know why I want to be smarter than a cow!
The truth is, however, that such wisdom only comes with discipline and effort. Even sinners saved by grace still exist in the flesh, and that means their “natural” inclination is toward self-centeredness. Such pride-fueled attitudes usually lead people to believe that whatever good they have they deserve, and that they probably do not have all that is truly owed to them. Therefore, the idea of being thankful is usually far from the mind and heart unless a person has been shaped and disciplined by the truth of God.
Just in case this strikes you as a bit too harsh, let’s recall a Scriptural example of the way things often take place. Recall how twenty centuries or so ago, Jesus, the Son of God, was walking through the land and declaring God’s truth by His words and by His constant example of deeds. One day, close to Jerusalem, His path intersected with that being traveled by ten lepers. The nationality of the entire group is unclear, but Scripture does let us know that at least one of them was a Samaritan. Of course, the Samaritans were despised greatly by most Jews. The ten, recognizing Jesus perhaps only as a famed healer, stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well’ (Luke 17: 13-18).
In the account from Luke’s gospel, only one in ten was smarter than a cow!
Fortunately, for those who belong to God by His grace through faith, it is to actively develop an attitude of gratitude. And, as with most of the blessings of the Christian life, this benefit is developed within the followers of Jesus as they yield themselves to the Word of God, letting its truth sink deep enough into their hearts so that it affects the way they live! How can I be sure that such thankfulness can be learned and developed? Because that is exactly what God promises in Colossians 3:15-17:
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I added the bold so that you would not easily miss the point. The apostle writes that if we have the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts (possible only for those who belong to God through saving faith according to Romans 5:1) then we have reason and ability to be thankful. He adds to this that if God’s Word is dwelling within us, and we are following it inwardly as well as among one another, then we may live with thankfulness. As that takes place, every aspect of our lives will begin understand its place beneath the Lord Jesus which result in our giving thanks.
You can take this to the bank: that is definitely living smarter than a cow!
Posted on November 1st, 2008 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: From the Pastor’s Pen