What Can We Learn from This Parable of Ranch Cattle?
© 2023 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
Once upon a time, in the allegorical land of Preposterous, a wealthy landowner established a ranch. He raised cattle. Some of the cattle were bulls. Some were heifers. As they interacted with bulls, most heifers became cows caring for young calves. All resulting calves were either heifers or bulls. As they repeatedly engaged in the afore-mentioned interactions, the next generation of cattle augmented the herd. Each member of the herd had a useful purpose assigned by God.
One day, some of the cattle rebelled, deciding they didn’t like their assigned characteristics. Some bulls pretended they were heifers or cows, and some heifers and cows pretended they were bulls. The rancher’s herd began to dwindle. As hard as they tried, heifers and cows couldn’t do what bulls could do. Similarly, bulls couldn’t do what heifers and cows could do.
It seemed that the genetic structure of each animal remained as it had been before all their pretending started. God’s wise design remained intact in spite of all their self-deception. However, because many in the herd were wasting their time rebelling against God’s defined order, much confusion and perversion resulted. Eventually, the wise rancher eliminated all of the pretenders from his herd by sending them to market. As before, his herd began to increase as in previous days.
Scripture clearly indicates that the “LORD God” created everything in a wise manner which could continue indefinitely. As God examined His creation, He declared it to be “very good.”
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:24-25)
In Genesis chapter three, we’re told that, shortly after creation, mankind disobeyed a command God had given them. This introduced sin and rebellion into the world.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12)
Sin has had far reaching effects. It has affected not only mankind, but all of creation.
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Romans 8:22)
Only the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross of Calvary, can redeem anyone from this quagmire of sin and rebellion.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5)
Has God poured life-giving faith into your dead heart causing you to trust and obey Him?
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