The Day the Cow Befriends the Grass
Imagine a cow waking up one morning and deciding that, instead of eating the grass, it will befriend it. The cow spends the day admiring the grass, protecting it, and ensuring no harm comes to it. By nightfall, the cow is hungry and weak, not because food was unavailable but because it abandoned its purpose.
This metaphor speaks to many of us in profound ways. Many of us abandon God-given assignments or compromise spiritual principles by misaligning our relationships and priorities. The result? We find ourselves spiritually starved and purposefully stagnant. We spend so much energy nurturing what was meant to sustain us or idolizing what was meant to serve us that we lose sight of the roles God has ordained in our lives. Misalignment is not just a mistake; it is a cost to our growth, our purpose, and our peace.
The Power of Discernment
Every element in life, every person, every resource, and every circumstance has a role to play. The challenge lies in discerning that role. Grass was not created for the cow to admire; it was created to sustain the cow. Similarly, some relationships in life are meant to sharpen and not comfort. Some opportunities are stepping stones, not final destinations and some seasons are there to teach one to persevere.
The problem comes when we fail to discern these roles. It is like trying to use a hammer to turn a screw, frustration and failure are inevitable. Take relationships, for example. Not everyone in your life is meant to be your confidant. Some people are there to challenge you, others to mentor you, and some only for a season. Misplacing these roles can lead to disappointment, resentment, and even heartbreak.
Discernment is not just a nice-to-have; it is an essential. As the Bible says in Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding.” Wisdom helps us see things as they are, not as we wish they were. It helps us ask the right questions: What is this person, resource, or season meant to teach me? How can I steward it well? When we lack discernment, we misuse or underuse what God has placed in our lives. It is like a cow walking away from the very grass it needs to live, seeking fulfillment elsewhere or assigning grass a purpose it was never meant to fulfill. This is not just impractical; it is dangerous.
Living in Alignment
When the cow recognizes the role of the grass, it thrives. It nourishes itself, gains strength, and fulfills its purpose. When we do the same, when we recognize the roles of people, resources, and opportunities in our lives, we step into alignment with God’s plan. Alignment does not mean everything is perfect. It means everything is purposeful. It means we are no longer wasting energy trying to turn grass into something it was never meant to be. Instead, we embrace it for what it is and steward it accordingly.
Here is a challenge as we prepare to step into a new month. Take inventory of your life. Look at the people around you. Look at the resources you have been given. Look at the season you are in. Are you treating these things according to their purpose or are you, like the cow, trying to befriend the grass when you should be drawing nourishment from it?
The key to fulfillment is not in having more. It is in understanding more, understanding the roles, the purpose, and the potential in what you already have. When you live in alignment, you do not just survive; you thrive and thriving is exactly what you were created to do.
