"No One Saw"

How high did you fly,

Off the back of that horse,

I bet no one saw it,

Took no picture of course.

For a minute you’d win it,

That high-flying prize,

I am not spinning numbers,

Nor telling sweet lies.

Physics’ laws went on pause,

You defied gravity,

Like some super-hero,

Spread-eagled, you see.

And the light filled the sight,

With a Remington glow,

Like all buck-off glory,

From the cowboys who know.

It’s adoring that soaring,

With surprise and applause,

But nobody’s out there,

And the reason’s because,

Your big win was not in,

Fame’s big rodeo,

Though more than eight seconds,

It took him to throw.

But ponder, it’s yonder,

And so far from town,

What’s western will happen,

When no one’s around.

That’s why, it’s no lie,

When we long for the sound,

At the campfire or stockyard,

And good stories abound.

We smile for awhile,

At the real cowboy stuff,

Though far from the highway,

When the broncs can get tough.

But the real always feel,

When the one standing there,

Is telling it honest,

And we’re glad that they share.

No gold buckles, white knuckles,

And prayers we’re not hurt,

But just keep on riding,

With that old spur and quirt.

And go look in the Good Book,

And you’ll find the same thing,

The good we give others,

Is so rarely seen.

But giving’s still living,

When nobody sees,

It’s our heavenly Father,

Our hearts want to please.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven…’ (Matthew 6:1, NLT)

Jesus assumed that His followers would be doing good deeds. It was “when,” not “if.” But when we do, make sure our motives are right. Are we doing good things to be recognized and for human applause? Or are we doing things to please our heavenly Father? The poem is meant to illustrate the fact that most real cowboy stuff happens with no audience. In the same way, most Christian stuff happens the same way. If someone notices and appreciates it, great! But that’s not why we do what we do. We do what we do because we love the Lord and His love spills out onto people. Our goal is not to attract human praise but to glorify God. Then He will reward us, and Jesus said that’s all that matters about it.

Lord, help us do good things for all the right reasons, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mike Capron, mwcapron.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mike, and God bless you.