Jesus’ Yoke: Easy or Hard?
Have you ever seen a wooden yoke—the kind that oxen wore to pull a plow or cart? A yoke makes pulling a heavy load a lot easier, if the oxen learn to work together. That is the challenge. Imagine being a frisky young ox and having your neck hooked up to a heavy wooden beam. You try to move but the old ox next you stands still and you get choked. Wearing a yoke seems like wearing a torture machine! But if you settle down and learn to obey directions, your young strength is turned into useful power.
Did you know that Jesus has a yoke for you to wear? When you say that you want to live for Him, He tells you to do things that are not easy. Like obeying your parents and not complaining. When you twist and turn and try to get out of your work, you get stuck with more chores. It feels like a heavy wooden yoke on your shoulders, doesn’t it? But Jesus didn’t plan for the yoke to choke you and hold you back. He says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) What has gone wrong?
It is when we are made to work and obey that life becomes miserable. Like the young ox, you will hate the yoke as long as you struggle and fight it. But when you give up and choose to obey and cooperate, an amazing thing happens. The horrible and difficult things become easy and light. Why? Because Jesus wears the other end of the yoke and you really have nothing to do, except to walk along beside Him! Will you take the easy way, like Daniel, and learn to work because you want to do right?