Buck and Cowboy

Photo by Joshua Sharf on unsplash.com

When Sherry and I first married, I was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Ignacio Colorado. It was a great experience for both of us. One of my fondest memories is that of going to the mountains with our friends Glenn and Jeannie Faverino.

The Faverinos had a cattle ranch, and in the summer took their cattle to a summer range on Missionary Ridge just north of Durango. The mountains there reach almost 10,000 feet in elevation. On horseback, we'd push the cattle to higher ground where the grass was tall, and put out salt licks. In the fall, we'd bring the cattle down to the foot of the mountain to a holding pen before loading them for transport.

There is nothing like sitting on top of a horse on top of a high mountain. It makes you feel like you're on top of the world.

After breakfast we’d saddle up our horses and ride the range for most of the day. Glenn rode a buckskin horse aptly named “Buck.” I often rode an aging quarter horse called “Cowboy.”

Cowboy was a great cutting horse and loved what he did. A high strung, spirited animal, Cowboy acted like he was in a race and could barely be held back. From the start, he wanted to go, go, go. It seemed to me that the only way I could get him to take it easy was to talk to him gently. Pulling back on the reigns too hard only seemed to make him want to go harder. Quietly saying things like “Ho, settle down. Take it easy Cowboy,” seemed to temper him enough to make the experience bearable for his rider.

Glenn’s horse Buck was the opposite. He would set a pace and maintain it all day long. Very steadfast, Buck seemed to be going just as strong at the end of the day as he did at the beginning.

Not so – Cowboy! Though unstoppable out of the gate, he was about exhausted at the end of the activities. Sweaty and breathing hard, he would drop behind the other horses. He could no longer stay up with the rest.

I have seen many Christians like this. Fast from the first but lagging at the last. My friend, Tut Jones, used to say, “They’re going to do wonders and eat rotten cucumbers.” I always took that to mean they had great intentions to really set the world on fire for Christ. Sometimes they are not to be seen later on. This happens when we try to serve the Lord in the energy of our own flesh.

I have also seen other believers who through the years and decades remained faithful servants of the Lord. These would only grow sweeter with time and seemed to have the grace of God upon them continually. Only God will be the final judge of us all, but by examining their fruits they seem to still pass inspection. Jesus said; “By their fruits ye shall know them.”

Thank God for the energy and excitement of youth, but even better are those whose fire is still burning consistently through time.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1Corinthians 15.58)

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6.9)