Dirty Troughs and Dirty Pews!

I want to address the issue of how to have a perfect, problem-free church. King Solomon gives us great insight into the issue in Proverbs 14:4 – "Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox." I grew up on a farm where we had milk cows, hogs and horses. All animals on a farm share two things in common – they all need a trough of some kind (feed), and they all dirty up the trough, barn, barnyard, and even fields where they graze! You can get rid of the cows and have a clean trough, but there won’t be any increase or profit. Or you can learn to deal with the dirt that comes along with having cows and benefit from the increase they bring. A farmer was asked, "Why did you choose to raise livestock rather than crops?" He said, "Because live- stock don’t need hoein’." They don’t need hoein’, but milk cows need milking. Twice daily. Besides milk, the cows produced lots of other really nasty stuff. The barn had to be cleaned every day, sometimes after every cow! It was not pleasant or fun and NEVER smelled very nice. My brother and I kept telling Dad we had a plan to keep the troughs clean along with other stuff the cows nastied up – sell the stinking cows! But Daddy wouldn’t do it. He was focused on the positive, plus side of the proverb cited above – "much increase comes through the strength of an ox." He was like the pig farmer who was asked, "Doesn’t the smell of pigs ever bother you?’ He answered, "Depends on the price of pork." Daddy focused on the profit the cows and their milk produced, not the dirt we had to constantly deal with.

Daddy knew something a lot of preachers, elders and church members need to learn. The church can be a squeaky, problem-free place where the "trough" stays clean. Just get rid of people – old ones, young ones, and all those in-between ones. Then there’ll be no need for a custodian and no worries about dirty carpet because nobody will be around to walk on it. We won’t need elders who "oversee and shepherd the church of God" because there will be no sheep / souls for them to see over and give account for (Acts 20:28 * Hebrews 13:17). No need to seek conflict resolution or do the hard work of talking to and not about those we have issues with in the church, which is exactly what Jesus said we ought to do in Matthew 18:15; no need to make plans and struggle with leadership problems. If we got rid of every member, elder, deacon, or preacher who at one time or another and in one way or another has added to the dirt and nastiness that caused a stink, we could do away with the pews and pulpit, because there wouldn't be anybody left. Will you listen to me? Jesus Christ knew there was some dirt in the lives of His disciples. He knew who would betray Him and that all His disciples would (temporarily) forsake Him. Knowing all that, He still thought it worthwhile to go to the cross and die for them! He didn’t give up on them because of the presence of some dirt in their lives. He knew through His death, burial, and resurrection, those imperfect men would be transformed into faithful heralds of the gospel. Therefore, let us not focus on dirty troughs or dirty pews (that is imperfections of others in the church). Let us not give up on each other because we sometimes have some dirt to clean up. Let us focus rather on Jesus and the increase that comes when we work together in His kingdom. Now, where’s your focus?

– Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN