You cannot drive a child of God to holiness and heavenly-mindedness, but you can lead him.
God calls His people His flock. "Feed the flock of God," says His word. Now we may learn a useful lesson from Esau and Jacob. The former was a soldier, the latter a shepherd. When Esau proposed to attach his men of war to the flocks and the little ones, Jacob said, “The children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me, and if men should overdrive them one day all the flock will die." (Gen. 33:1313And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. (Genesis 33:13).) Jacob knew the feeble strength of his flocks and his children.
Oh, ye men of war, your swords are not shepherds' crooks. Beware, lest by overdriving the flock shall die.