"Taller"

Old cowboy had both knees replaced,

‘Cause they were plumb wore out,

Said I’ll go and fix ‘em both,

Just get ‘er done, no doubt.

And things went well just like he planned,

He traded old for new,

And healed up faster than they thought,

And worth what he went through.

Time came along to get horseback,

To saddle up and ride,

But when he got his cinches tight,

His surprise he could not hide.

He knew things just felt different,

Had to let his stirrups down,

‘Cause both his legs were longer,

He was horseback when he found,

That when that doctor operated,

His bow legs lost some bow,

He could tell it in the saddle,

Till then he didn’t know.

Rides taller in the saddle,

Feels more like old John Wayne,

‘Bout totally recovered,

And rarely has much pain.

So remember when things get replaced,

And you get improvements done,

You might just get more than you think,

When you’re walkin’ tall, old son.

(This poem is dedicated to our cowboy friend and farrier, Kenny Crim.)

“So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (Romans 12:5, NAS)

Paul compares the church to a human body that has many different parts. When something goes wrong with one part, the others are impacted. That’s why it is important that we as members of Christ’s body learn to help each other. One way we do this is by exercising the spiritual gifts we are given by the Lord. Ultimately God gifts us so that others can be blessed. This means that the gift is really for them, through us. Every person has at least one gift that should be used in this way. If we don’t learn to help each other, the church suffers as well as the cause of Christ.

Lord, help us help each other, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mary Ross Buchholz, used by permission. Thanks, Mary, and God bless you.