Black cow analogy

A couple of weekends ago I ended up at home for a wedding shower for Katie. While I was there Dad needed help moving a couple of cows from the lower field to the upper field where there was grass for them to eat. All we needed to do was get them into the trailer to be hauled over.

Simple, right?

No, not simple.

Why?

Because cows are just plain not the submissive type. They are really stupidly belligerent. At least this was the black cow's temperament.

Apparently the night before Dad had tried to do it by himself and the black cow didn't like being coerced and decided to jump the fence. Except the dumb cow didn't realize that number one he is a cow and number two cows don't jump high fences. Yep, he got caught in the barb wire at the top and was stuck. Dad somehow managed to get him free but decided to wait for recruits.

Those cows looked at us warily and tried bolting several times and even got to the doorway of the trailer and still didn't think this was a good idea. After several minutes of a stalemate, they clamored in and Dad got them to greener pastures.

This whole incident got me thinking about the cows and how different they are from other animals that are easy to herd or be led.

Aren't we like cows sometimes, maybe a lot of times?

Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, only wants to lead us to greener pastures and all we have to do is follow. He knows what's best and how best to get us there. I know I'm a lot like that stubborn black cow who thinks she has a better way or just plain doesn't want to be led. And I pull a Jonah and run the other direction saying, "I just don't want or have time to do that today."

And then what happens?

I get caught in the barbed wire attempting my escape.

Just like my dad knew what was best for his cows, the Savior knows where he wants us to be, where we ultimately want to be whether we know it or not, and how best to get us there. Our job is to not be so much like that stubborn black cow.