In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says “take my yoke upon you,” using a metaphor of training oxen by being yoked together to describe his spiritual teaching. In the same way that a young ox would be yoked to stronger and more experienced ox to learn the ways of work, in the passage he is inviting those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens to enter his school of discipleship, to be yoked to him. 
Now none of us likes being called “stubborn” or being compared to an ox, but hopefully we can hear this scripture as an invitation from Jesus into a better spiritual life, a deeper spiritual practice, a more fulfilling way of discipleship. Through this passage, we are going to learn what it means to be yoked to Jesus, the one who is gentle and humble of heart. We are going to experience what it means to be yoked to the Spirit of Christ that is inside of us, and the body of Christ that is all around us; to take Jesus’ yoke upon us and learn from him and find rest for our souls.
But in order to help us get to that place let me begin in an admittedly odder place with a most unlikely example: A new reality show called, “Super Nanny”. Now, I won’t make you admit if you’ve seen it, but I have only seen it twice (and that’s probably enough because it’s the same every time). 
There is a young family in a quiet suburb. Dad is an earnest young man who is working hard to provide for his family. Mom is an earnest young woman who stays home with the kids. Dad and Mom are both likeable people who are struggling as parents.
Jo-Jo the Super Nanny arrives and observes for a day full. The kids are out of control. Hitting each other, talking back to Mom, rolling eyes, sarcastic attitudes, power struggles over eating dinner, refusing to go to bed at night. And the list goes on. These kids frequently endanger themselves and frustrate their parents.
At the end of the long difficult, but oh-so-normal, day, Super-Nanny sits down with the parents and tells them basically the same thing every time: You are good people. It’s obvious, that you love your kids. You are trying really hard as parents. But what you are doing is not working. Your home life is a mess and your kids are going to end up paying for it. Will you let me change your household? Will you let me teach you how to parent these kids in a better way?
Every time, Mom cries, Dad nods sullenly and then Super Nanny assures them that she can help. And she does. The parents balk at some of things she says. At times they stubbornly cling to their old ways even though they are not working, but eventually they accept the Super Nanny’s instructions and in one hour of television time (or two weeks time according to the show), the house is calm, the kids are respectful, the parents are happy and less stressed and all is right with the world.
Now let me be clear here: These parents really are good people who love their kids. They are good people who really want to be good parents. They are good people who were indeed really failing at this most important task, but not for lack of trying. They were trying really, really hard. And when you look at their faces, they are exhausted, drained, weary and carrying heavy burdens. It’s not that they are not trying, it’s that they lack training.
(With thanks to Dallas Willard and John Ortberg for helping us all to see this difference.)
And that’s where some of us are in our spiritual lives...
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