The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10
When my oldest was young, he was quite the little cowboy. We spent quite a bit of time on a dairy farm, and the kids there used to hold him so he thought he was sitting on a calf. When that little calf started bucking, he couldn’t stop the giggles. Then, all we’d have to do to keep him occupied was give him some twine from one of the hay bales, and he became the greatest leader of all time. He had such loyal followers! Yep, the barn cats were his playmates.
After putting away the muck boots and putting on the cowboy boots, he’d exchange his green John Deer hat for his cowboy hat to go to the rodeo. He’d stand there tall and proud with that little hat over his heart with his head bowed during a moving prayer. That hat was still there as the National Anthem was sung and the American flag, being held by a cowgirl galloping by on horseback, came waving past us.
That little cowboy exchanged those denim and boots for a sharp looking scout uniform, but still stands tall and proud while saluting the flag just as he did all those years ago. Yes, that little boy with blue eyes and freckles is now bigger than me, but kept with him many life lessons learned within the walls of a barn and in the world of animals. Just like the Chris Ledoux song, I look at how our little boy’s grown and know we’ll soon be turning him loose.
He started learning life lessons within the whitewashed walls of a barn. He learned to care for the needs of animals, he began to understand about life and death, and he got a glimpse of how we need to rely on God. A person can’t control the rain, the weather, the crops, or even sickness. We are dependent on Him. When we begin to think we’ve got everything under control, we’ll often get a lesson on how that isn’t true. These are lessons that he’ll take with him as he grows from boy to man.
Do you need reminded that God gave us certain responsibilities that He expects us to carry out? We’re His stewards. Are we helping care for His animals and people? Are we seeing things with a loving heart because we know that love is the best way to show we’re dependent on Him? We’re only able to show others the truths that are within ourselves.
I challenge you to ride to an animal or a person’s rescue today with a kind act or word. Do it to honor God!
