"Thankful Cowboy"

“Thankful Cowboy” 10.23.2024

Saddled early in the morning,

Before the sunrise showed its face,

Darkness soon is fleeting,

And the light will take its place.

Hop the horses on the trailer,

Head out to the work that has been planned,

Tighten cinches when we get there,

Black coffee, peaches canned.

Then off to look for sick ones,

Move some to fresher grass,

Doctor one or two with foot rot,

Stop at noon for heat to pass.

Let the horses graze a little,

Open up another can,

Dozin’ quiet neath the willow,

Climbing to the hills we scan.

Sun is dropping toward horizon,

Shadows lengthen, time to go,

Unsaddle in the darkness,

Throw ‘em hay and feed you know.

And I’m thinkin’ after supper,

That I love to live this way,

Thankful for my many blessings,

Get to do it everyday.

And  some folks think we’re crazy,

But I’ve lived in cities, too,

Sane and simple in the country,

Is what I still choose to do.

And really it’s a God-thing,

‘Cause we talk to Him a lot,

Glad to praise Him daily,

For everything we’ve got.

I won’t argue with a skeptic,

Or some fault-finding fool,

But a-horseback keep on going,

And apply the golden rule.

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12, NAS)

Jesus was the great summarizer. That’s why the “golden rule” is so powerful. It is ultimately the most unselfish way to live, and is “others-centered.” This is only possible when the Holy Spirit helps us to die to our egotism and actually get unstuck. it’s not that we earn salvation by treating others this way. It’s that we treat others this way because of the wonderful grace God has given us. It must be shared.

Lord, help us treat others the way we want to be treated, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.