My yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Matthew 11:30)
While the image of a yoke was familiar to Jesus’
audience, we modern readers may not be able to relate so easily. A yoke
is made for two, like a team of oxen. When oxen are young, they are
taught to pull together when hitched to the yoke. When one ox tries to
go one way and the other a different way, they experience the pain of
pulling against the yoke. The harder they fight it, the worse it gets.
So in one sense, we can say that the yoke punishes and burdens the
oxen. But when both are going in the same direction, it actually makes
their work easier. Usually one ox takes the lead and sets the direction,
while the second ox learns how to follow. As they learn the positive
and negative effects of the yoke over time, they discover how beneficial
it can be.
This helps us understand Jesus’ saying that being yoked to him
lightens our burdens. That’s the way a yoke is supposed to work! It
teaches us to let him set the course. It teaches us to follow the One
who has yoked himself to us in a covenant of love. We also experience
what happens as we try to go our own way. We see how fighting God’s lead
causes us pain. As Paul understood in Acts 26:14, by kicking “against
the goad” (a tool used to drive oxen), he only hurt himself. But when he
followed Jesus, he was far more peaceful—and far more fruitful!
Because we are humans, we are designed to learn through trial
and—sometimes painful—error. That may sound harsh, but we can be
confident that Jesus is extremely patient. He never stops loving us and
trying to lead us. He knows that we will become more docile to his
leading as we experience the wonderful effects of following him. He is
confident that we will learn.
Yes, Jesus’ yoke is easy—because the One who leads us is walking
beside us in the yoke. He shares all of our burdens. He invites us to
enter into his rest. All he asks is that we follow his lead.
“Jesus, I want to learn your gentleness and humility as I walk with you. Teach me to move in step with you and your Spirit.”
from wau.org
