In third-world countries, the...
Illustration
In third-world countries, the use of a plow pulled by horses, oxen, or water buffalo is still
a reality. There even are a few of us who remember using a horse-drawn plow to prepare
land for planting. I grew up on a farm in western Iowa. We didn't have a tractor until
1944. We did a small amount of plowing with horses, but usually hired someone with a
tractor to plow. When it came time to plow the garden, that often was left to walking a
one-lay plow pulled by one horse. You had to have a special style of little plow and a
capable driver. My first try left much to be desired. Neither I nor the horse knew what we
were doing. Finally, by keeping the lines just right, having them tied behind my shoulders
at just the right length, and keeping the handle of the plow just right, and above all
keeping my eye on the furrow to be plowed, we got the job done. If someone from a
distance called, and I turned my attention from the job at hand, my looking back would
ruin the attempted furrow and I would have to go back and begin again. Jesus knew what
he was talking about when he said, "Don't look back; don't allow distractions to turn you
aside." Rather, where Jesus leads.
