Tend The Flock

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” (Pr 27:23 AV)

Solomon is encouraging his son to be a good husbandman.  In the next verse, Solomon states the flocks may not be as productive in the future as they are in the present, so to prudent thing to do is to take care of what God has given you today, because you may need it tomorrow.  This can apply to all sorts of things that the LORD has entrusted to His saints.  This could be our health.  The flocks could be our families.  The house over our heads, the career or calling assigned to us, or those whom the LORD has entrusted to train in the things of His word.  The flocks could be anything that we are responsible for and can contribute in some way to our own existence.  The key is diligence.  Working hard to maintain what the LORD has bestowed is necessary for future success.

Like most young men, I had a garden.  I had the idea from my best friend.  He had a garden to the side of his house and I thought I could do the same.  So, in the spring, I went out to our backyard with my father’s pickax and dug up a little patch.  It wasn’t all that big. Maybe five feet by five feet.  In this garden, I planted corn, cherry tomatoes, and green beans.  I think I tried some lettuce as well.  The first year was OK.  We had some fresh beans and tomatoes.  The corn never really grew large enough to eat.  It was not all that hard work.  Watering it was the biggest chore associated with it.  Then came the second year.  Having had some success the first year, I expanded to squash.  I ditched the corn because it simply didn’t grow large enough.  I tried some pumpkin, but that didn’t do so well, either.  That second year was a it more work.  I had to weed.  I hate weeding!  I needed to water the garden a bit more, too.  By the third year, not seeing the yields I had hoped, I gave up.  Besides, I really don’t like waxed beans.  No motivation.  To this day, I refuse to weed.  We have a lovely flower bed in front of our home and the church.  I don’t weed!  If I can’t kill it with spray, it can grow right alongside the flowers!  The thing is, if you don’t keep up on it, you will surrender the garden to the wild.

Solomon’s advice is sound.  The LORD has graciously given us what we need to thrive.  It just takes much diligent oversight and responsibility to see that it has returns.  Like Jacob, there is work needed so the flock increases.  It will not increase on its own.  The flock He has given is sufficient for the day, but it will not be for tomorrow.  If we ignore the needs of the flock, the flock will not remain.  This is true of all areas of life.  As a minister, we can apply this to our congregation.  But this application goes far beyond this.  Our health, our finances, our families, our homes, our careers, etc.  It all needs tending to.  If not, they will not be there when we need them most.