There is an old tale of the Wind and Sun,
Both wishing to see the other outdone;
And seeing lone wanderer, each decided to try
To remove the coat from the traveling guy.

Well the Wind went first, but try as he must,
The coat stayed on, no matter his gust.
And though ever stronger he howled and blew,
The coat ever tighter, the traveler drew.

Then said the Sun, “Now let me try.”
And from his advantage high in the sky,
Shone with warm encouraging rays,
That lighten lives and brighten days.
And nodded knowingly at the strength of his plan,
For off came the coat from the traveling man.

Now here is the moral for each in turn—
From the cold North Wind let us learn
That coercion and force will never win
The heart and soul and mind of men.
But let us do like the Son above,
And send instead warmth and love.

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Have you ever tried moving a two-hundred pound stinky billy goat?  If you haven’t, let me describe it for you.  Goats are too smart for their own good—independent, curious, and extremely stubborn.  One day one of my family’s big bucks somehow pushed his way under a fence and, when we discovered the problem, was busily eating the neighbor’s alfalfa field.  Due to the circumstances, I had to try to drag that ornery goat about a fifth of a mile to the nearest gate.  There I was, hands on horns, trying to pull him.  Of course, he didn’t want to go, so he dug in all four hooves and sat back on his haunches.  It was a battle of strength and will.  With help from a brother, we eventually won.  There is a reason Christ consigns the goats to His left hand, essentially sending them to Hell (see Matt 25:31-46).  After our struggle, I was about ready to send that billy goat there myself! 

Funny thing is, if you put a little bit of grain in the bottom of a bucket and shake it, the goats will come racing from the other end of the pasture as fast as their hell-bent legs will carry them.  Drag them and they resist; entice them and they come willingly.  It reminds me of the old saying, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” 

My brother had to watch a video for a college class called “Goodbye Mr. Chips.”  In the movie, Mr. Chips was a teacher at a boy’s school in England before one of the world wars.  Some of the boys were misbehaving and the principal said they needed to be beaten into line.  The wife of Mr. Chips tells the story of the Wind and the Sun having a competition to try to remove a coat from a traveler.  The wife then asks for permission to try love instead of fear with the misbehaving boys.  And it worked.

People respond the same as goats.  We tend to resist when others try to make us do something but often respond positively to a little loving encouragement.  In fact, we know whose plan it was to make us be good.  God, on the other hand, tries to invite and encourage us to choose the right because he knows that is where blessings and happiness will be found.  Satan’s plan never could or would have worked.  God’s plan is. 

My experience with goats taught me that. 

Written: Spring 2015