Is considerable disturbance a pre-requiste for growth?

Things change. Economies, climates, people, places, jobs and interests etc. However, as we all know change is not always for the best. Where we get the choice, change should only take place if it is for the better, and not for changes sake. Take the upcoming 2010 UK General Election. Will things change for the better? Personally I have severe doubts that at present any political party has the country’s best interests at heart.

What I believe this country needs is strong leadership, living by example and long term stability. Will the General Election deliver this? Sadly, I don’t think so. In the Bible, Proverbs 14v4 states “Where there are no oxen the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.” (New International Version). Some bible commentaries say this passage shows that “considerable distrubance is the pre-requiste for growth.” In olden times unless there were a) oxen and, b) people who used oxen to plough up the ground, seeds did not get sown properly and there was no decent growth and little or no crops.

One thing oxen do is cause a mess in the stall, plus they require daily feeding and cleaning up after, hence if there are no oxen “the crib is clean” (The Message), as there is nothing to clear up. In my view what this country needs is leaders and people who will be unselfish oxen and do the work of an ox for the sake of others. Will this cause a bit of a mess…probably, but would we rather have long term economic and political stability or no growth and no harvest?