At the end of chapter 19 of the Bible’s first book of Kings,
Elijah, in a dark mood, runs to a cave in the wilderness and pours out his complaints to God, who instructs him to go and find Elisha, son of Shaphat, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen.

Elijah found him and draped his cloak around Elisha’s shoulders. Recognizing that he’d been chosen to finish the job begun by Elijah, Elisha immediately slaughtered his oxen and cooked their meat over the fires of his plowing equipment. Elisha gave the meat to his co-workers and family, then set out to follow Elijah and become his attendant.

Elisha, a farmer, killed his oxen and burned his plow, leaving himself nothing to fall back on.

That, my friend, is commitment.

Is there anything to which you are truly and deeply committed? Is there anything for which you would be willing to kill your ox and burn your plow?

On the day you can answer yes, you will have learned what it means to be truly happy.

Aroo to you.

Indiana Beagle