"How They Act"

Sometimes I just don’t get it,

How people often act,

They seem to have no manners,

And very little tact.

Reminds me of a young horse,

Who’s pampered and been spoiled,

And hasn’t learned the way to act,

When your rope’s uncoiled.

Maybe he’ll jump sideways,

Or be hard to load,

Or maybe get into your space,

Or antsy when he’s rode.

Might be he’s a bucker,

Just likes to show his will,

Or when you step up on him,

He moves and won’t be still.

All these nasty habits,

Can be changed over time,

But he must know it’s wrong of him,

To act like he’s just fine.

It’s got to be corrected,

Or reward is what he sees,

When he gets away with it,

And blows care to the breeze.

That’s when he’s got to feel it,

Just make him move his feet,

He’ll wonder where the air went,

And ask you for relief.

And I hate to admit it,

I have more hope you see,

For changing horse behavior,

Than what folks’ ought to be.

O Lord, give us patience,

For all those who are rude,

And pray that we can help them,

And not with them to feud.

“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business…” (1 Thess. 4:11, NLT)

Minding our own business is not always easy. Why? Because we just naturally know what’s wrong with everybody around us. And Lord knows they need to change! God hasn’t called us to be door mats, but He hasn’t called us to fix everybody either. The best approach is to focus on our own need to change and cooperate with God’s grace to do it. When we encounter others, especially difficult people, we must pray for the patience, love and wisdom to deal with them. Again, not always easy, but the Holy Spirit will help us. He will strengthen us not to react, but to respond in healthy ways. It’s people who love drama that become tools of the enemy. Mind your own, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Weller, donweller.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.