"Gunsel"

The hat he wore looked backwards,

His boots were shiny new,

A cowboy if you asked him,

A gunsel through and through.

But he’s very much an expert,

‘Cause of what he read online,

‘Bout doing agribusiness,

And the care of those bovine.

And lots of round pen videos,

Knows lots of horse technique,

And he’ll share his opinion,

Every time you let him speak.

They say that imitation,

Is the flattery they give,

But I gotta say my patience,

Is leaking like a sieve.

‘Cause this fella and those like him,

Want to tell you how it’s done,

Though your whole life you’ve done it,

Even when it was not fun .

I’m glad they want to cowboy,

Their interest is for real,

But maybe keep their mouth shut,

It’s just the way I feel.

Know many handy cowboys,

With skills much more than mine,

And many things I do not know,

I’m learning all the time.

But when someone who doesn’t know,

Pretends they really do,

And then they try to give advice,

As if they really knew,

It’s better just to disregard,

And probably ignore,

Don’t give ‘em much attention,

Or listen anymore.

This might apply to those who share,

Their spiritual advice,

But don’t know what they’re talkin’ ‘bout,

If you’re listening think twice.

‘Cause the Good Book says to get away,

From people who pretend,

They have a form of godliness,

But it’s power they suspend.

The counsel that we listen to,

Matters much, you see.

So get it from the ones who know,

And not some wanna-be.

“…having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:5, NIV)

Paul described the “last days” to Timothy, and much of what he said could be applied to any and every generation. But, if one reads the symptoms carefully, one must admit that this generation is seeing an exponential increase in all of them. Christians are alarmed by the trends of secular culture, but these are recorded in scripture. We should not be so surprised, nor should we disconnect ourselves from those who need Jesus so desperately. But there is one exception, and they are the ones who pretend to know God but deny His power to change their lives. What is Paul’s counsel to Timothy concerning them? “Have nothing to do with them.” That’s a powerful bit of advice, but one we do well to follow.

Lord, help us recognize unsafe religious people and withdraw from them, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Dane, used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.