How come so little replies on this? This is worth discussing for the Christian life unless you don't know or have nothing to say! Not intending to sound pushy at all or aggressive but just saying the plain truth.
Well, I have read online about this verse I'm talking about, about the two oxen and I somewhat understand more clearly that it's like if one leg is God-centred and the other is worldly, lost and broken and insecure, you're not going to be walking properly.
So as I compare this to the online friend I have right now, if I always am around a worldly person, I as a Christian will always only have myself to lift up myself in a Godly way and my friend will be able to support me only in worldly ways which can feel supportive in that way but is not helpful in the Godly way so it's partly good and the other part is not helpful.
Any other thoughts that can help me see this more clearly than I have just written out and that can help others too? Thank you!
Paul uses a metaphor based on a farming technique where a farmer plows a field with two oxen. The oxen are joined together with a yoke, which helps them work together and pull the plow in the same direction. This way, the full force of their strength is applied to the plow, allowing more work to get done.
Suppose the farmer attempts to yoke a young, strong ox, with an older, weaker ox? What might happen? The stronger ox will pull one side harder than his partner on other side, causing the plow to deviate off course. Another thing that might happen is that the stronger will relax and not work as hard as his partner on the other side.
In practical terms, if a believer is yoked, either officially or emotionally, to a non-believer, the non-believer will pull the two of you off course, spiritually speaking, or you will be fighting to maintain your course, spiritually speaking, or you will stop challenging yourself to grow in the Lord, waiting for your friend to catch up.
It's not that you can't have friends, but it's important to be mindful of who you become closely connected to. Being "yoked" together with someone might lead you away from your faith. In any case, there may be situations where you have to choose between your friendship and your loyalty to the Lord. For those who haven't done this, it might sound easy but it isn't. We develop strong emotional bonds with our friends and breaking off a friendship hurts and seems harmful, injurious, and mean. Paul is giving us good advice for our own sake and for the sake of our prospective friends. It's better to avoid making these kinds of friends in the first place.
But if you find yourself in that situation, be cautious, and always listen to the Lord and the Holy Spirit.