Why Buy the Cow?

Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there . . .” 1 Kings 14:2

I get most of my news from two online news sources which I read daily. Both of these websites have been prompting me for years to sign up, create an account, and give them my email address. I don’t want to sign up for more emails though, and I don’t want to create an account, so, for years, I’ve simply dismissed the prompt whenever it pops up. Lately though, both of these sources have been cutting me off, not allowing me to read their articles until I sign up. Now, they’re even trying to make me pay a monthly fee. Up to this point, signing up was pointless. Why would I sign up and pay for something that I could (up until this point) get for free? They’ve realized that this is my attitude, and so, they’re cutting me off, demanding that I commit to a formal relationship.

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? I assume that, like me, you’ve heard this crude adage applied to premarital sex. It is unfortunate that in this proverb, the woman is compared to a cow, but the general principal is still applicable to today’s passage, which describes how I often approach God.

In the story, King Jeroboam had alienated himself from God by worshipping idols. So, when his son became ill, Jeroboam couldn’t just go to God for help. Instead, he sent his wife, in disguise, to the local prophet. Jeroboam instructed his wife to keep her identity a secret as she sought God’s healing for their son. Wanting divine assistance, they tried to trick the prophet – and God – into doing what they wanted. They desired the power of God without the sacrifice of following God. Why buy the cow . . .?

As I said, this is how I’ve often approached God. I want him to do something for me, but I don’t want to have to do what he wants. In my addiction, I begged him to miraculously remove my appetite for drugs. He didn’t. Rather, he asked that I obey him, going to treatment, confessing, and changing my life. I didn’t want to do any of those things. I just wanted the miracle. I wanted God’s help, without the sacrifice of obedience. Just like with Jeroboam and his wife though, God isn’t fooled. He often insists that I obey, following him, before he works in my life. God knows my nature and so, he requires that I seek a formal relationship with him before I enjoy the benefits of that relationship.