A yoke is a wooden crosspiece placed over the necks of draft animals, such as oxen, horses and camels, that distributes the load and synchronizes the paired animals so they can work as a team. Whether used for agriculture, forestry or transportation, yokes make the job easier for the beasts of burden and help make them more manageable for the farmer. They’re a benefit to all involved! That is, as long as it is an appropriate match. Yoking a horse to a camel or a water buffalo to a goat would have exactly the opposite effect.
During the first day of SWAT school, our instructors played a little trick on us. They randomly paired us up and, appealing to a room brimming with overconfidence, asked each pair how many “combined pushups” they could do. I turned to my newly acquainted partner, did some quick math, and reported back our estimate. After collecting everyone’s answers, the instructors clarified what a “combined pushup” was. Each pair had to assume the ready position (arms extended, facing the ground). We then placed one arm over the other person’s back and pushed up together, using one person’s right arm and the other’s left. My partner was a female who was at least one foot shorter and about half my weight. We were mismatched in every way. She couldn’t support me, and I couldn’t avoid pushing her down. To our embarrassment, we could only do about six “combined pushups.”
Christians are not guaranteed a life without burdens. However, they are given guidance on how to lessen their impact, and it involves the appropriate use of a yoke.
Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Mt. 11:28–30)
God’s way of easing your burden isn’t to remove it. Instead, it’s a command for you to yoke yourself to Him. All people, whether believers or unbelievers, are yoked to something. A Christian properly yoked to God enjoys a lighter load and is more easily guided by the Master. On the other hand, a Christian who is unequally yoked to the world is less effective, faces greater challenges and is harder to lead. God uses this imagery to describe Israel when their hearts had turned away from Him.
So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. (Numbers 25:3)
God judged them for tethering themselves to the world instead of to Him. God had chosen them, yet they pursued the world. By chasing after their passions, they climbed under the world’s yoke and submitted to its master. At the end of his life, that’s precisely what Joshua warned Israel about.
“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Josh. 24:14–15)
Will you yoke yourself exclusively to the Lord today? And tomorrow? And the next? Will you choose to climb under the yoke of Him whose burden is light by serving Him in sincerity and in faithfulness? Or will you choose to offend the King and limit your effectiveness for the kingdom by fastening yourself to a mismatched load?
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14)
It’s a black-and-white proposition. There’s no such thing as a “yoke-less” life. Yes, the yoke is on you. Decide each day which one you will be attached to.
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)