"Witchy"

I looked at the cow boss,

Through hot branding smoke,

And asked if I heard right,

Or was it a joke.

But his look was somber,

Like some old mean judge,

And when I joked at him,

There was ‘nary a budge.

No, you’re gonna get her,

She gets in tonight,

Down at the station,

And I won’t have a fight.

It was that old widow,

Who owned the place,

Her husband left to her,

And without a trace,

Of savvy or wisdom,

Or any cow sense,

She lived in a city,

A fine recompense,

For all of the evils,

Us cowboys had done,

She was God’s judgment,

A grown man would run.

So you see how I dreaded,

To go pick her up,

Down at the train station,

And durned all the luck,

I knew why he picked me,

The others would quit,

But he knew I wouldn’t,

That had to be it.

And so when the shadows,

Showed evenin’ was on,

I hitched up the mule team,

And got right along.

‘Cause when dealin’ with witchy,

You’d best not be late,

Or five miles of fussin’,

‘Fore you got to the gate.

And at the train station,

I waited in pain,

And to make it e’en worser,

It started to rain.

Now I’m loading baggage,

And she’s on the seat,

With an oilskin around her,

And everything neat.

I noticed a difference,

I saw it right off,

Heard nary a curse word,

As the clouds broke aloft.

Fact is she was pleasant,

And courteous, too,

Just not the same woman,

That we thought we knew.

She showed everyone kindness,

Brought presents from town,

She worked in the kitchen,

Chased off Cookie’s frown.

Made everyone happy,

And I had to know,

What really had changed her,

Reluctant although,

To come out and ask her,

But finally I did,

And she got so tickled,

She laughed like a kid.

And when she was done laughing,

She said she’d been sick,

Thought she was dying,

No one cared a lick.

But an old cowboy preacher,

Came to her sick bed,

He shared Jesus with her,

And here’s what he said,

That if she would ask Him,

He’d forgive every sin,

Give her salvation,

And come right on in.

And so on her death bed,

She prayed that strong prayer,

And when her eyes opened,

He no longer was there.

And early next morning,

She felt herself strong,

And peace in her spirit,

And the will to go on.

And soon she recovered,

And from then on she said,

She’d live and love others,

Like she’s raised from the dead.

And then she asked me,

Would you like to pray,

And I’ll tell you, brother,

Didn’t know what to say.

But ‘fore you know it,

I was down on my knees,

Asking Lord Jesus,

To just save me, please.

The widow, she left us,

We didn’t want her to go,

I drove the buckboard,

And said good-bye slow.

And now I’m a new man,

Least I’m trying to be,

Not much more complainin’,

But rejoicin’ you see.

And all ‘cause a widow,

Who once was a witch,

Found the Lord’s blessing,

And made the big switch.

So if you read this story,

It might be for you,

You can ask Jesus,

And He’ll save you, too.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person…” (2 Cor. 5:17, NLT)

Sometimes we look at people, and perhaps even ourselves, and think they will never change. So often they don’t, but that does not mean they can’t. It just means they haven’t yet. But the grace of God makes anything’s possible. The meanest, most addicted people can be radically converted, and when they are, become a powerful testimony to the transforming grace of God. The witchy widow in the poem changed when Jesus saved her. She in turn was used by God to change the cowboy’s life. And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to work. We receive the gift of a new life. Then we share that new life with others so they can know Jesus, too. Everyone who comes to Jesus gets to be part of bringing others. What an adventure!

Lord, help us share with others the new life You have shared with us, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Herman Walker, hermanwalker.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Herman, and God bless you.