Putting the cart before the horse

A member of one of the churches I served was a horse enthusiast, both keeping Clydesdales and showing them.

I still love to see these majestic animals in all their show-prepared glory. They were once the power source of our agriculture, pulling not only ploughs, but an amazing range of farm machinery. Strangely we still measure the power of our tractor engines by the horse, in terms of ‘brake horsepower’.

Horses also appear in this old, but practical saying: ‘don’t put the cart before the horse’. It’s a maxim which is used in situations far beyond the farmyard. Cartoons depict the stupidity of the cart in front of the bewildered horse. Or to come more up to date, we’d never put the tanker, harvester, plough, or whatever, first - and then add on a tractor behind. It’s the other way round of course. The tractor is the power source that facilitates its usefulness and manoeuvrability.

In life it bothers me that all too easily we can get things out of the right order. ‘Things’ become more important than the people around us. Work becomes more important than time spent with our spouses, or our precious children. Even sadder is that just about everything seems to become more important than God, or at most we only occasionally find an hour for Him on a Sunday.

Yet who made us? Who gave us the life and strength we have? Who makes seeds germinate and grow, or causes young lambs, piglets, calves or chickens, to be born? If God didn’t faithfully make the day and night, the seasons, the sun and rain – then who did? We scarcely give Him a thought, then we want Him to show up in our hour of trouble!

Jesus calls us to sort our priorities out, ranking things that are important. Jesus said – and I like how the Amplified Bible translation puts it “‘…But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God), and all these things will be given to you also’” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus was addressing the whole issue of things and worrying about them when He said this.

It’s not that things don’t matter, it’s just that they come second to looking for God, and when we seek Him first, then we can trust Him for our needs too. It’s so basic, yet so hard to do. So let us think how this should work out then: God first, my life and people around me second; then my work, wealth, or whatever else thereafter.

If I can put it this way, I am not a farmer, or fisherman, or a minister who just ‘happens’ to be a Christian, I am first a Christian who ‘happens’ to be a farmer, or whatever – and that changes everything.

So today – can I leave you this challenge? Put God in the right place. Get to know Him through asking His forgiveness and trusting in Jesus as your saviour, friend and Lord. Take time to read His Word, the Bible, and to talk to Him in prayer. Then, in your day-to-day life, try to live fully for Him. That’s getting things in the right order and not ‘putting the cart before the horse’!

Ian was brought up on a dairy farm near Limavady. He was a minister in Ballyroney and Drumlee congregations in south Down, and latterly Moneydig Presbyterian in County Londonderry. Due to a serious cancer diagnosis, Ian has had to retire from active ministry and now provides counselling and support to others with cancer.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the issues raised in this article, please email Rev. Kenny Hanna at [email protected] or call him on 028 9753 1234.