According to King Solomon, the ‘messiness of life’ can mean different things—
- Some times, it points to an obvious degree of inattention and apathy.
- Other times, it points simply to the presence of activity and abundance.
Yes, the ‘messiness of life’ can occasionally bring us to the brink of a meltdown. But there are occasions when it ought to lead us to the Throne Room instead. Messiness can elicit different responses—anything from fuming annoyance to deep gratitude—but wisdom knows the difference.
Note King Solomon’s rich words in Proverbs 14:4…
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
If there was anyone who understood first-hand the ‘messiness of life’—such as, running a kingdom with a million moving parts—it was King Solomon. Ruling a kingdom is truly ‘messy’ work: there is always something to do; always something to clean; always something to fix; always something to resolve. It is constantly annoying; readily exhausting; and periodically infuriating.
To be sure, everyone has some level of ‘never-ending messiness’ in life, but imagine the scale of ‘messiness’ Solomon had to live with on a daily basis! Nonetheless, Solomon leans into the madness of his ‘messiness’ and draws out a profound nugget of insight for us—one that ought to encourage us in terms of how we see our mess and live in it constructively. Namely…
The mess itself is evidence of blessing, not the other way around.
Follow Solomon’s logic in the verse: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” What is the main goal? A clean manger? No!
- A clean manger means an empty stable;
- An empty stable means an empty harvest; and
- An empty harvest means an empty table and empty business!
Solomon is begging the question: Is a clean manger worth an empty table and empty business? No, because we would always choose a messy manger if it meant a full table and thriving business.
Therein lies Solomon’s point: Better a ‘messy manager’ with abundance than a ‘clean manger’ with lack. His point is obvious: Like an overflowing cup or like a messy manger—we should not despise all forms of messiness, because sometimes it is the very evidence of God’s overabundant blessings.
Too often, we hastily complain about the ‘messiness of our lives’ when it is simply an indicator of activity, abundance, and even answered prayer. Our annoyance may feel valid in the moment, but when we reframe the mess (and our reaction to it) in the scope of our own desires and outcomes(!), our hot-headedness ought to cool and quell and quiet into humbled-hearted gratitude.
As you consider your own life… What ‘mess’ are you annoyed with right now, that—upon greater reflection—is simply an overflow God’s activity, abundance, and answered prayer? Is it…
- The ‘mess’ of a dirty house because of young children?
- The ‘mess’ of a crazy schedule because of so many opportunities?
- The ‘mess’ of a busy church because of so many people?
- The ‘mess’ of a dusty bathroom because of a nice home renovation?
To be sure, these are all ‘messy.’ But the mess is evidence of the blessing — of children, of opportunity, of growth, of rebuilding. So, before your ‘mess’ pushes you to your breaking point…
…lean in a little longer… linger for a little while…
…and let the ‘mess’ usher you into God’s Throne Room instead…
…and move from…
…from grumbling into gratitude…
…from worry into worship…
…from pressure into peace…
…so that you’re able to pray something like this:
“God, thank you for [this mess]… underneath it are blessings I do not deserve. Let the messiness not drive me into madness but into thankfulness. Amen.”
