I received a funny birthday card picturing three cartoon cows. There were two lean cows and one fattened cow having a chat. They were standing on their back legs with their front legs (appearing as arms) leaning against the fence. The fattened cow was bragging, “There’s a big party tonight. The master’s lost son has returned home, and he specifically requested for the fattest calf to be there.”₁ If you are familiar with the story of the prodigal son, you know the future of the fattened calf is connected to the firepit that is pictured in the background.
It made me think of the words once spoken by Corrie Ten Boom. Her powerful story of God’s grace bringing her through the horrific suffering in Nazi concentration camps has touched millions of lives. She was given an honorary degree and following the ceremony a reporter asked her if it was difficult to remain humble. Her well known reply, “When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments on the road, and singing praises, do you think that for one moment it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him?” She continued, “If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in His glory, I will give him all the praise and all the honor.”
God chooses to use people like you and me! Even though I am confident there are others who are smarter or better equipped for many of the responsibilities He has laid upon me, I am overwhelmingly honored to be His fattened cow or the donkey whose back He chooses to ride upon. In complete peace we can step forward in obedience.
Everything we are and everything we have comes from God! How is God using you to further His kingdom? Are you ever tempted to take the glory or credit? Don’t be a bragging cow! Be the donkey that allows Christ ride upon his back leading him where He has chosen. All the while allowing all glory to belong to God!
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 (ESV)
Copyright©2018, Gloria Stucky
Photo by Tim Wright on Unsplash
₁DaySpring® Bible Tails™