"Mean and Snorty"

That cow was mean and snorty,

I dreaded when Dad said,

You’d better go and find her,

There’s lots of things instead,

That I could think of doing,

Than tracking down this cow,

She was always getting out,

Across the fence somehow.

And this time was no different,

I found her in the brush,

And just as quick she saw me,

Came at me in a rush.

Tryin’ to butt my pony,

And drive us both away,

But I had her number,

And was ready on that day.

To rope her and to drag her,

And do whate’er it took,

To get her in our pasture,

I did it by the book.

But no sooner than I did it,

She went back and jumped the fence,

And then Dad at supper,

I remembered his words since.

Said did you get that crazy cow,

Yessir, I went and roped her,

But she got away again,

I guess I should have doped her.

He said I can’t believe it,

You let her get away,

I can’t believe it either,

And all that I could say,

Is that I’ll go tomorrow,

Catch and take her to the sale,

He said I think that’s better,

Go do it without fail.

Early the next morning,

I had one thing in mind,

And that was go and get that hussey,

No matter what, to find.

I searched all day till evening,

And finally cut her sign,

She was two neighbors over,

Roped her by the moonlight fine.

And with her in that clearing,

Her little calf was seen,

I got him caught and gathered, too,

Though he was just as mean.

Left ‘em on the trailer,

Next morning gone for good,

Sold at the sale the next week,

Just like we said we would.

But I still remember,

Those days when I was young,

Catching the mean and snorty,

Back when my rope I swung.

You know I guess the lesson,

Is some are worth the catch,

And some too mean and snorty,

It’s better you dispatch.

“Don’t team up with unbelievers…” (2 Corinthians 6:14, NLT)

God has called us to reach out to unbelievers to love them and be a witness to them. Jesus was famous for eating with sinners in order to call them to God. He was able to do so without compromise, and so should we. But there are biblical limits placed on these relationships however. It’s one thing to love and witness to someone. It’s another thing to actually partner with them. Why is this true? Because our affiliation that become a spiritual pitfall. Be cautious about the teammates you choose, else you may find that they convert you instead of you converting them.

Lord, help us deal carefully with unsafe people, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bill Owen, cowhorsegallery.com. Used by permission. Thanks, and God bless.