"Old Caballero"

They called him old caballero,

He never knew just why,

Guess it was his horsemanship,

But all he did was try,

To listen to the horses,

And find a better way,

To get the best out of them,

They never heard him say,

All the why’s and wherefores,

Or methods or a plan,

They just watched him do it,

Learned from him they can,

Always do things better,

And better more to be,

Teachable and learning,

Than a know-it-all, you see.

But he just rode the horses,

And gave them a good start,

Touched them with a gentle hand,

And never broke their heart.

Then they saw him less and less,

He rarely came to town,

Spent more time out off the grid,

And hardly came around.

He knew his time was coming,

The years, they took their toll,

And now the old caballero,

Was really getting old.

They only found his saddle,

And his old black felt hat,

The horse that he’d been riding,

Was quietly close and that,

Was all there was there to it,

It’s like he slipped away,

No panic in the leaving,

And to this very day,

Sometime folks think they see him,

Out on some canyon rim,

A-singin’ to his pony,

A good old gospel hymn.

And there one final lesson,

What we to others show,

The lessons that are valuable,

So they can good things know.

Learning, always growing,

To find a better way,

And finding new life lessons,

Until our dying day.

Just like that old caballero,

Without much talk or preach,

He changed a lot of people,

His life was his outreach.

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us…” (1 Peter 2:12, NIV)

Our lives are an advertisement for what we believe. If we live honorably, it stacks the odds that we will have an opportunity to verbally share our faith and persuade others to come to Christ. But walking the walk must accompany talking the talk for the talk to be effective. But that’s exactly how it’s supposed to work. Our love, good deeds, and morality get people’s attention. Then we share with them what Jesus has done for us. Our example and story can make all the difference. Let’s be difference-makers!

Lord, help me to show and share Your good news, in Jesus’ name.

Art by JaNeil Anderson, janeilanderson.com. Used by permission. Thanks, JaNeil, and God bless you.