A REAL COWBOY?
image courtesy of photobucket.com
REPOST FROM JUNE 2011
Some things just seem to go together, natural pairs or partners you might say. Like salt and pepper, chocolate and peanut butter, Bonnie and Clyde, Abbott and Costello, morning and coffee, and freedom with America. You get the idea.
Then there are other things that don’t work so well together. Things like oil and water, a fool and his money, Samson and Delilah, love and hate, to name a few. Rules change a bit along the way. Chemists have figured out how to mix oil and water as an example but, in general, it’s easy to spot things that don’t seem to fit together.
I’m not a cowboy, I’ve only ridden horses a few times, but growing up in the southwest I’ve seen my share of real cowboys. I mean the ones that Waylon and Willie sang about type of cowboys.
I was in the northeast valley where there are a lot of ranches and horse farms. Driving right in front of me was a pretty new Nissan pick-up truck. That’s not earth-shattering news in and of itself, but then I spotted a pretty genuine cowboy hat the driver was wearing.
The cowboy hat was bent down in a steep curling motion in the front and the back so as to block sun. As I got up next to him I glanced over and the hat didn’t look like it was for show, it had yellow discolored sweat stains and all.
How could this be? Didn’t he know the rules of the west? Real cowboys don’t drive foreign jobs? He’d come closer to still being a cowboy wearing a Speedo with his cowboy boots than drive a foreign-made pick-up!
That’s like a member of the Hells Angels riding a Honda! It just is not done. Period… End of story.
You know you’re getting old when you see something that doesn’t make sense and you squint your eyes a bit and barely shake your head from side to side in an unapproving motion.
By the way, that rule (for those of you interested in these type of etched in stone rules) doesn’t apply to women. Look, I don’t make the rules, I just adhere to them OK?
Sometimes when we walk into church, especially the early service, older people will give me that “look.”
I walk in with shorts, although dress shorts. Shirt, although dress shirt, untucked. Shoes, although dress shoes, no socks. Hair, although clean, long and pulled back into a ponytail. Sunglasses, although Arizona, slim similar to the ones Clint Eastwood wore in the Dirty Harry movies, pushed back onto my head while inside.
What’s not to hate? I almost don’t blame them. After all, it seems we all have an unwritten rule book or guidelines we expect everyone else in the world to abide by, right?
Who am I to judge Cowboy Carl for driving a Nissan? He might be able to ride a bull for 8 seconds, who knows? I’ve done some pretty dangerous things in my life, straddling a 2,000 lb. bull with his privates strapped up tight won’t be one of em’.
While a big portion of Christians are relying on our senses, namely eyesight to judge other Christians and non-Christians alike, we need to remember that God looks at the heart.
What can I tell about a real cowboy heart by seeing his cowboy hat, truck, or boots?
Not a cotton-pickin’ thing…
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 6:33 am
Reminds me of the chorus from Cowboys Like Us
Cowboys like us sure do have fun
Racin’ the wind, chasin’ the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like us
Floyd…we definitively have to meet some day.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 4:58 pm
You make me laugh Jay… what a gift… I would seriously love to meet you and your family. Who knows, I might get to New York one day, and the Arizona sun might do you some good come winter time in the east? Thanks man.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 9:31 am
Great story and reflection. Just so you know, I’ve worn flip-flops to a night service before and I’m the pastor. My reasoning is that we don’t get a lot of those days up here in Alaska and I had to make use of it! 🙂 Hearts are definitely not so easily discerned–best to leave it up to the Father. He has no trouble at all knowing exactly what’s in there. Thanks Floyd.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 4:59 pm
Well said as usual Jason. I’d fit right in at your church! Thanks.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 10:59 am
Living in a third world country and worshipping in a jungle hut with no walls, dirt floors and believers in much different attire took what ever remnants I had of that “look.” Now I can see, God was preparing me for California…hehe. Just about all the pastors wear flip flops to preach in but in Papua New Guinea some wear no shoe.
My favorite of all songs to sing is, The Blood of the Lamb.
Looking down through the ages God beheld a dying soul
Sin had brought seperation, never more could man behold
There must come a Lamb, one whose blood alone redeems
Bringing gift to the Father of the souls made white and clean
Chorus
Now when He see me He see the blood of the Lamb
He see me as worthy and not as I am
He views me in garments as white as the snow
For the Lamb is worthy and He washed me this I know
Now He left that Holy city, traveling on to the cross
Just to bridge the gulf to glory and to rescue all the lost
By His blood He entered into the throne room of our God
And at the mercy seat He placed it, salvation for us all
Good post brother…made me get out my sound tracts…gonna sing…hope the neighbor don’t mind. Blessings.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 7:16 pm
Thanks for sharing Betty. I love your easy style, it comforts me. Maybe it’s your wisdom? Maybe a bit of both… Whatever it is, I know it’s a gift from God and I appreciate it.
Let me know if the neighbors sang along with you!
Blessings to you and Ace, praying for you guys.
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 5:35 pm
So true Floyd! We can’t really understand the heart of the matter – even when the answer looks obvious. Only God understands the heart of things. Love your opening paragraphs 🙂
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 7:13 pm
Thanks Ngina. How often do we fall prey to our flesh thinking we can magically be like God and judge people… It’s lunacy really. “Only God understands the heart of things.” Well said my friend…
Friday, September 7, 2012 @ 10:07 pm
What makes us “Real?” Not the hat we wear or the vehicle we drive, but knowing Jesus personally will make us real.
Those foreign cars driven by cowboys and many others are also providing jobs for workers here in the USA. Sales persons, mechanics, and even some factories built here in Tennessee and other places. Understanding that is real nice. We do look at the outward appearance, and I am thankful God looks on our hearts.
Saturday, September 8, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
Thanks Hazel. I too am grateful that He looks at the heart. I have to remind myself that seeing the heart is at a glance, not a gift any of us have.
Saturday, September 8, 2012 @ 1:02 am
This is a post where I called pull out, from the old trunk, the equally old cliche, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Sorry for bringing the sore again. I remember that here in our country (Philippines), we have a funny twist of this quote. “Don’t judge me, I’m not a book.” It became famous because it was quoted by our Miss International bet. (I forgot which year was that).
“You know your getting old when you see something that doesn’t make sense and you squint your eyes a bit and barely shake your head from side to side in an unapproving motion.”
Those lines makes sense to me. I maybe be an exception to the rule. I notice things that shouldn’t be, often. Even with today’s kind of music and the new gender being celebrated, the liberation of so many things. And yes, I am old.
Saturday, September 8, 2012 @ 12:25 pm
That old adage is exactly what I was thinking about after I fell into the old trap of judging someone based on what they looked like… It’s easy to do, I just need God to remind me that I don’t have the gift of being able to judge a heart at a glance, only He does. I’m with you on the modern trending of society. Thanks Lolita.
Sunday, September 9, 2012 @ 9:36 am
Great post, God looks at the heart and most people look at just the image of a person(outside. It reminds me of the importance of looking at the persons heart instead of how they might look.
Sunday, September 9, 2012 @ 9:50 am
Thanks Dan. I have to remind myself. I mean who am I to judge anyone by how they look? Crazy; this flesh…
Sunday, September 9, 2012 @ 6:42 pm
I won’t give you “the look” I promise…I’ll just snicker….teeee heee! Kidding~!
Yeah…I guess all of us do well to keep our eyes straight ahead and focused on the prize of the High calling, so we don’t come short ourselves, huh?
Just an aside however….as with anything, there is always a balance. With the things of God, some people treat things a little too casually (not just how they dress)
Righteousness and Holiness are two things that go together, but sometimes people try to interchange them or substitute other things.
“Oh well, God knows my heart”, or “God loves me the way I am”, are a couple of worldly-isms embraced by God’s kids. Neither one of those go with a life redeemed by the New Birth. That Life is marked by obedience and change, from glory to glory. Then people will be able to look at us and see Jesus.
Yeah…I can’t judge a real cowboy either. But give me a Coke – It’s the Real thing! LOL!
Sunday, September 9, 2012 @ 6:51 pm
You’re too clever and funny! It’s not fair that you should get to be wise too! You always make a great point with amazing insight. It’s very appreciated Nancy. Thank you.