Life Lessons From A Goat

I have two male goats, which are six years old. They weigh at least 120 pounds and are each the size of a very large breed of dog.  Their names are Louie and Alphie.  They met about a year ago and despite a rough introduction, they have become the best of friends.  

Louie is the leader and Alphie is happy with that. Alphie is actually a little bigger and stronger than Louie but Alphie is content to be the follower.  Louie has sort of a gimpy leg but remains the one in charge.

I always put them outside in their pen when the weather is nice if I’m going to be close to home. This morning I had a full schedule and wanted to keep things running on time so I hurried to put them in their pen.  I always put Louie in first, 100% of the time, but today I put Alphie in first as he was closer to me.  I had to go chase Louie down and I could hear Alphie calling loudly to him.  Much to my surprise Alphie effortlessly jumped over the fence and came running a hundred miles an hour to see his lost friend.  

So this tells me a few things.  Alphie can jump out any time he wants to.  But he decides to stay because his friend can’t leap the fence.  Okay that is friendship at a great level, he chooses to remain in the pen—away from freedom—to be with his friend.

Or maybe Alphie never had a reason to jump the fence and did not know if he could until the time when his separation meant more to him than his own self. Okay, that is deep.  He became distraught enough to do the “impossible.”

Is that possibly a start to live out John 14:12-14,  ^“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.   And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

I’ve heard you have to have motivation and be able stir yourself up enough to be able to heal diseases through Jesus’ name.  Does that sound farfetched?  I don’t know.  My goat Alphie never was able to leap over the pen before until it became the most important thing to him.  Being separated from his friend overcame any fear or doubt he may have had.  Could he do it again?  Sure, he just would need a reason greater than himself.  Maybe that is the key.  You must first die to self to be alive in Christ.  Could I forget myself enough, genuinely care about others, risk looking foolish and face rejection (die to self) to seek out people to pray for.  To lay hands on them in order to heal their diseases in Jesus' name?  Yes, it would be a great honor.

The journey continues….