"Cowboy Angel"

No telling where he came from,

Or where he learned his skills,

But no doubt cowboy ready,

His outfit showed no frills.

In fact no plainer saddle,

I’ve ever really seen,

And nondescript was what he wore,

Though he was long and lean.

He never acted cocky,

And never talked that much,

But when it came to cattle,

He had a special touch.

Seemed he anticipated,

‘Bout every move they made,

And we were glad to have him,

And every day he stayed.

Some fellers are just like that,

They know what they can do,

But feel no need to prove it,

Quiet confidence shows through.

And when his time was finished,

And he went to draw his pay,

I followed at a distance,

And heard my daddy say,

If you ever want a steady job,

You’ll always have one here,

And so at times he’d come back through,

‘Bout every other year.

He served as a reminder,

That good ones still exist,

Some sort of cowboy angel,

That you didn’t want to miss.

One time I out and asked him,

More about his past,

He said he’d been to prison,

But he’d learned he could outlast,

All the bad things he had done,

And by the Good Lord’s grace,

He’d found a better way to live,

A tear ran down his face.

And, no, I won’t forget those times,

Or the words that cowboy said,

Though I am sure that he’s gone on,

And now is long since dead.

Remember there are good ones,

That the Lord will send along,

They might have a history,

But now they’re right, not wrong.

And humbly they do what they can,

You’re blessed because they do,

This world could use some more like them,

There’s no doubt that it’s true.

“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (Hebrews 13:2, NLT)

Hospitality and welcoming people is a big deal in scripture. Perhaps it’s because God is such a welcoming God, and shows no partiality from one to another. The Lord welcomes strangers and sinners alike, and loves unconditionally. This does not mean that He condones sinful behavior. It just means He loves us in spite of it. He meets us where we are in order to take us where we need to be. As those who represent Him, we need to be proactive when it comes to welcoming strangers, and who knows, we might end up entertaining angels!

Lord, help us welcome others the way You welcomed us, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.