The Plow or the Bulldozer

Here it is already spring time. I love this time of year because people start coming outside again, fishing heats up, and Easter is near. Easter is the time of year that we as Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and King, Jesus. This is the time of year that we remember that God had a great plan of redemption for humanity. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God loves you and I. A God that big is almost too good to be true yet He is true. He loves people. That’s right God loves people. I know that is a tough concept to learn but none the less it is a right concept.

God’s plan of redemption was not for whales, trees, or Spotted owls. It was for people. John 3: 16 says that God so loved the world (people of the world) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Wow, what a plan for mankind. God so loved the kosmos and its inhabitants that he came up with a way to redeem the people in it so He God, could have fellowship with us while we serve Him. He’s not distant but close and he cares for each and everyone of us called human beings or people.

I find it ironic that God loves people, yet people don’t seem to love people. Why do I say that? Its because we have a hard time staying in relationship with one another. We find each other offensive, repulsive, ugly, and hard to get along with. After all that God has done for us we still struggle with getting along with each other.

Did you know that the basis of life is people and how they relate to each other? Your success, happiness, and fulfillment depend upon our ability to relate effectively to each other. Both the Church and the Harvest are made up of people, Ministry itself is the proper flow of people. Every where we go we encounter people and yet our biggest hang up in life can be relating to people. Our relationship with people will determine the success of our life and ministry. It seems obvious that we need to learn to get along with people. I like to say it like this, you can either work with people or war with them. So the question is which of the W’s have you chosen to do? Well most of us, I hope, have chosen to work with people and not war. Let me show you what I mean.

Lets look at the difference between a plow and a bulldozer. Now both of these instruments, the plow and the bulldozer, are important for changing the landscape around us. They each make the changes in the landscape in different ways. For instance, the plow turns over the earth, stirring it up, cultivating it, and making it a good place for seed to grow. The bulldozer, on the other hand, scrapes the earth, pushing all the obstacles aside. Both the plow and the bulldozer are useful instruments but one wrecks while the other cultivates. The plow type of person sees in people riches waiting to be uncovered and developed. While the Bulldozer type of person sees other people as obstacles to be destroyed. From this brief description it is easy to see we need to learn to be a plow and not a bulldozer when it comes to dealing with people. The way we determine if we are a plow or bulldozer is often determined by our attitude.

Atmosphere around us is created by our attitude. If it is good it will bring the best out of people. You mean that I am having a lot to do with how people respond to me by my attitude? It’s my attitude towards others that determines if I am successful in life with people? That’s right it is your attitude that sets the atmosphere around you and not necessarily the attitude of others. You need to remember that in life we deal with all kinds of people saved and unsaved. People are basically the same in that they were all created by and redeemed by God. He desires them all and if you and I do not learn to treat people correctly and see the same value in people that God has placed in them, then we will become a destroyer of people and not a cultivator of people. That’s why we need to see ourselves as a plow and lose any traits of the bulldozer that we posses. You and I are to cultivate good relationships with people so that they can taste and see that our God is good. Once they have tasted our good fruit they will desire it for themselves.

That is why we need to be lovers of people and concentrate on developing relationships with people. If you have not been a plow you can change. James 1: 21 says that the engrafted word is able to save our souls or change our minds with in turn gives us a better attitude in life. So what will it be for you? Will you be a plow or a bulldozer? God has set before you death (bulldozer) or life (plow). So you don’t blow it he gives you the answer which is choose life or the way of the plow.