"Hippie"

We had just unloaded cattle,

At the stockyard across town,

We pulled into a parking lot,

Went in and sat down,

On stools ‘longside a counter,

With one short-order cook,

A kindly little waitress,

Who soon our order took.

It was me and Billy Carter,

And I was just a kid,

Billy wore his big rowel spurs,

Just like he always did.

He got a piece of apple pie,

With coffee hot and black,

And me I ordered ice cold coke,

And some French fries in a sack.

Then, as we were eating,

A fellow walked inside,

A tee shirt and bell bottom jeans,

Couldn’t miss him if you tried.

Clear he was a hippie,

His hair was shoulder-length,

Back then it was unusual,

The waitress gave a wink.

But soon our break was over,

Climbed in the truck and gone,

I laughed when I asked Billy,

‘Bout the hippie’s hair so long.

He seemed like a nice person,

Was all that old Bill said,

And then he simply added,

Tipped his hat back on his head,

That guy, he was a hippie,

And the difference plain to see,

But I will not make fun of him,

He didn’t laugh at me.

He could’ve mocked my spurs and boots,

Or, yes, my cowboy hat,

Instead he smiled and nodded,

His manners were like that.

I never did forget it,

Though I always tried to be,

Just like Billy Carter,

Who was cowboy to a T.

When he praised that hippie’s manners,

He knew much more than me,

‘Bout how we should treat people,

And how things ought to be.

Let’s try to help each other,

Not tear each other down,

Specially when they’re different,

And want to come around.

“…since God love us that much, we surely ought to love each another…” (1 John 4:11, NLT)

According to scripture, it’s nonsense to say we love God whom we can’t see, when we don’t love people whom we can see. Love for God and love for others cannot be separated. They go together. God loved us first and we show we’ve received it by giving it away. We become a catalyst for His love. Another way to say it is if we truly love God, the world will get the overflow. This all breaks down when we allow the way people look or act to affect our love for them. When we see them the way God does, this breakdown will be healed, and God’s love will be brought to full expression in us.

Lord, teach us to love each other the way You have loved us, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, markmaggiori.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.