Now Push!

I was reading a blog today about pushing calves and I thought I would share with you my thoughts on pushing calves and pigs for that matter, through an alley into a crate or shoot where work is done on them. When you push calves I guess the most important thing to remember is they don't want you to be pushing them. They may not have any idea what's up at the other end of that alley, but they don't want to find out, so they do what calves do and that's look for a way out. You have to come up right behind them and push with your legs, hold on to the rails with all that's in you and just stand. If you give them too much room in the front they'll get their head turned and the next thing you know that calf is facing you. If you give them too much room in the back you will find out what a hoof feels like on the shin of your leg. You know your not big enough to do this all by yourself, so you have trusted friends with you and you push together. You come in tightly, stand your ground, you don't give them an inch for any craziness. 

It really is crazy, but it works! I've been apart of this pushing before and it's a little different with hogs, mainly cuz they're shorter and flip around a lot easier. What I remember most about these times is that your not alone. Sure, the easiest thing in the world to do would be to get in the very back, (where it's safest) and make a run for it. There is something about standing your ground, even when you forget why your doing it. It's always easier to head for higher ground, where it's safe. 


But we aren't ever called to do the easy thing are we? The easy thing is not hearing the call in the first place. When we're called, we always have the chance to get in the back and head for higher ground at the first sighting of any craziness. But the voice you hear down inside, moves you to the front where it's the hardest and the most dangerous. You grab hold of the side rails, you bend you knees, come in tight and you push with everything that's in you! You move inches and you stand strong. Getting pushed back is part of it too, but you take a deep breath, and you grit your teeth and you go at it again. 


Being in ministry is a lot like pushing calves through an alley. I would ask that as we are trying so hard to stand strong, that you would pray for our discernment and courage to stay at the front and push when it's time.