I have some farmers I chat with from time to time. My favorite question is to ask them what season are we in. There are things that farmers do depending on the time of year and depending on the weather. Right now they are weaning calves from their mothers. The weaning process was filled with spiritual analogies for me.
First they have to round up the calves. Thinking how hard is it to round up about a dozen calves he went on to tell me that they have around 350 of them. This made me think that round up just got a bit harder.
Interestingly enough calves are drinking from their mothers but are also getting fed by the farmer. He has this old truck with a feeding machine on the back. The calves have gotten used to the sound of the engine of the truck and the horn that they sound for the calves that usually all they have to do is hear the sound of the engine and they come running. Now if I were to drive out onto the field and blow my horn, they would even give me a second thought. They know the sound of the truck and horn that belongs to them and their feeding time.
Once they are there eating away at the truck they round them up into a big cattle truck. They take them to a corral they have built just for the purpose of weaning. They have to make sure it is a strong fence because the pull of the calf to its mother is very strong and these cows and calves do not like to be separated from each other. The interesting thing is that they could just take the calves clear over to another part of the farm far away from the mother. But it’s better for the health of the calf to be able to see its mother and get a little comfort from her presence. Calves during the weaning process have been known to come down with all kinds of illnesses that can be traced back to the stressfulness of being separated from its Mom.
They have to inoculate the calf for this very reason but they also leave the calf close enough to be reassured by its mother that she is still near.
Once in a while though they get a stubborn calf. Either they won't be rounded up, or fight the whole process and these calves are sold out right losing all connection to their mom because of their stubbornness.
I thought that this whole process was interesting and I am sure those reading this can see the spiritual illustrations. The truck sound and Jesus saying the sheep know their shepherds voice. The desire of some to stay in the milk of the word being fed by someone else and not growing in maturity to feed themselves. The stubbornness and rebellion to fight the maturing process and being set aside from doing great work because of it.
James 5:7 - Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
First they have to round up the calves. Thinking how hard is it to round up about a dozen calves he went on to tell me that they have around 350 of them. This made me think that round up just got a bit harder.
Interestingly enough calves are drinking from their mothers but are also getting fed by the farmer. He has this old truck with a feeding machine on the back. The calves have gotten used to the sound of the engine of the truck and the horn that they sound for the calves that usually all they have to do is hear the sound of the engine and they come running. Now if I were to drive out onto the field and blow my horn, they would even give me a second thought. They know the sound of the truck and horn that belongs to them and their feeding time.
Once they are there eating away at the truck they round them up into a big cattle truck. They take them to a corral they have built just for the purpose of weaning. They have to make sure it is a strong fence because the pull of the calf to its mother is very strong and these cows and calves do not like to be separated from each other. The interesting thing is that they could just take the calves clear over to another part of the farm far away from the mother. But it’s better for the health of the calf to be able to see its mother and get a little comfort from her presence. Calves during the weaning process have been known to come down with all kinds of illnesses that can be traced back to the stressfulness of being separated from its Mom.
They have to inoculate the calf for this very reason but they also leave the calf close enough to be reassured by its mother that she is still near.
Once in a while though they get a stubborn calf. Either they won't be rounded up, or fight the whole process and these calves are sold out right losing all connection to their mom because of their stubbornness.
I thought that this whole process was interesting and I am sure those reading this can see the spiritual illustrations. The truck sound and Jesus saying the sheep know their shepherds voice. The desire of some to stay in the milk of the word being fed by someone else and not growing in maturity to feed themselves. The stubbornness and rebellion to fight the maturing process and being set aside from doing great work because of it.
James 5:7 - Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
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