Eyes on the Mess: Why a Clean Manger Produces No Fruit (Part 1 of 2)
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." — Proverbs 14:4 (ESV)
This verse has been pivotal in my life as a man dedicated to serving and honoring the Lord. Our light for Jesus often shines brightest during tough times. While many may falter under pressure and struggle to act courageously when life gets messy, God-fearing and empowered men rise to the occasion and glorify the Lord through their actions. To me, that's what this verse is all about — living out my design as a man to fulfill His purposes and glorify His name.
So, what do an ox and a clean manger have to do with being a Godly man? To answer that, we first need to understand how the Bible defines a Godly man. Here it is in a nutshell: men are created by God to confront chaos in a way that produces something beautiful — order, beauty, and life.
In Genesis 1–2, God powerfully spoke into the darkness — described as "formlessness" and "void" — of the unformed world. His speaking brought order to the chaos by shaping the unformed world. His speaking filled the emptiness with beauty and life. His speaking brought blessing to people by giving them purpose, provision, and a place to live. And His purpose in creating a place of order, beauty, and life was to cultivate an environment where close relationships could flourish.
When God created man in His image, He invited Adam to name the animals and tend the Garden, as if saying, "Observe what I have created and how I did it — now I want you to be like Me and do the same." In this way, men are uniquely designed to move into the chaos of life, bringing about order, beauty, life, blessings, and nurturing environments where close relationships can flourish.
But entering into chaos is messy — especially in relationships. Many avoid it because it feels overwhelming and frightening. For many men, confronting chaos can trigger deep feelings of inadequacy. However, a clean manger doesn't produce abundant crops. Avoiding chaos results in little fruit. That's what Proverbs 14:4 is saying: a clean manger signifies no fruit because it lacks the strength of the ox to produce it. When a man trusts in the Lord and is empowered by His strength, he can bravely face chaos and transform the mess into something beautiful.
Big Idea
God designed men to enter the chaos — not to avoid it. A clean manger may look tidy, but it produces nothing. Abundant fruit comes through the willingness to get messy for His glory.
Questions to Ponder
Is your "manger" clean or messy — and why do you think that is? Are there areas where you've hesitated to engage because things might get difficult? What's your default escape when chaos arises, and what reasoning do you use to justify avoiding it?
Application
Ask the Lord to reveal one area of chaos in your life you've been avoiding. It could be a tough conversation, an unresolved conflict, or a responsibility you've been sidestepping. This week, take one step toward facing it — not in your own strength, but in His. Tomorrow, we'll examine what this looks like in a real-life situation.
Before the Lord — a daily devotional by Blake S. Crawford. Read more and subscribe free at blakescrawford.com/before-the-lord.