"Throwback"

I really couldn’t say how much,

That old boy was out of touch,

With everything considered cool,

They think he must be quite a fool.

For holding onto cowboy ways,

How he’s lived for all his days,

Worked so hard he’s kinda bent,

But there’s no doubt the message sent.

That for the brand he’ll do his best,

No matter just how hard the test,

His word he keeps no matter what,

Always gives it all he’s got.

He may seem stuck in horseback time,

A flippin’ coils of ropin’ twine,

Catchin’ wild ones when they strayed,

Knowing hands aren’t born, they’re made.

His faith in God is simple, see.

By the grace he’s been set free,

But judging those who disbelieve,

Was ne’er the burden he’d receive.

Just goes his way and mercy gives,

What he believes and how he lives,

And not much for this old world’s tech,

And doesn’t look far past his check.

His hat he’s worn for many years,

Boots resoled and it appears,

Won’t give up when things get old,

Just gets ‘em fixed, that’s what I’m told.

A throwback to a different life,

With lots of peace and far less strife,

But not in step with culture’s pitch,

But spiritually the cowboy’s rich.

So let him go and leave him be,

There’s few as good a soul as he,

But think what we could learn from him,

If our vision’s clear, not dim.

“Do not love the world nor the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NAS)

When John speaks of the world he is not talking about God’s creation. He is speaking about the world’s order that is based on idolatrous pursuits. He draws a proverbial line in the sand and says that if we love that system we don’t really love God. And if we authentically and sincerely love God we won’t love the secular culture that rejects Him. We live in this world, but we are not of the world. We overcome the world through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. His grace captures our hearts and breaks the world’s influence.

Lord, help us love You and not the world, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Shawn Cameron, used by permission. Thanks, Shawn, and God bless you.