The Harness of the LORD (2)

The Harness of the LORD (2) by Bill Britton

One of the colts rebelled during the training and said, “This is not for me. I like my freedom, green hills, and flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible discipline.” So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the grass meadows. And I was astonished that the Trainer let him go, and did not go after him. He devoted his attention to the remaining colt.

This colt, though he had the same opportunity to escape, decided to submit his own will and learn the ways of the Trainer. And the training got harder than ever. But he was rapidly learning more and more how to obey the slightest wish of the trainer, and to respond to even the quietness of his voice. And I saw that had there been no training or testing, there would have been neither submission nor rebellion from either of the colts. For in the field, they did not have the choice to rebel or submit. But when brought to the place of testing, training, and discipline, it was then that the obedience of the one and the rebellion of the other were made manifest. And though it seemed safer not to come to the place of discipline and confinement because of the risk of being found rebellious, yet I saw that without this, there could be no sharing of the abundance of the King.

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Finally, the period of training was over. Was the colt now rewarded with his freedom and sent back to the fields? No! But an even greater confinement than ever now took place, as a harness dropped about his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom to run about the small corral, for in the harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke. And unless the Master spoke, he stood still.

The scene changed, and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill, nibbling at some grass. Then, across the fields, down the road came the King’s carriage, drawn by six horses. With amazement, he saw that in the lead, on the right side, was his brother colt, now made strong and mature on the good grain in the King’s stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold bordered harness about his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet… and envy came into his heart. Thus, he complained to himself: “Why has my brother been so honoured, and I am neglected? They have not put bells on my feet, nor pom-poms on my head. The King has not given me the wonderful responsibility of pulling his carriage, nor put about me the golden harness. Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?”