"Once a Cowboy"

I was once a cowboy,

But nowhere near the best,

Compared to all those top hands,

But close enough I guess,

To say I really was one,

And not some wanna be,

Even thought I understand,

How that can feel you see.

‘Cause all of those good horsemen,

I learned a lot from them,

And long rope cattle handlers,

They sure could those loops send.

I watched some top shelf reiners,

Could make those ponies spin,

And all those awesome slidin’ stops,

No doubt they’d go and win.

But if you stayed with basic,

I could get it done,

Whether it was horses,

Or cattle, rain or sun.

I am no pretender,

But it’s not up to me,

To pick the real and fakers,

I could care less you see.

They say that when they imitate,

It’s the highest compliment,

So all this cowboy back and forth,

Is not my argument.

Go on and wear your cowboy hat,

Pull on those jeans and boots,

Saddle up your pony,

Honor your cowboy roots.

And if they ever ask you,

Are you cowboy for real,

You can say you knew some,

And down deep it’s how you feel.

“God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important…” (1 Cor. 1:28, NLT)

God picks people nobody would pick. Even cowboys. Even wannabes. The failures, left-behind, disposable, marginal people. The ones everyone else passes over or gives up on or ignores. It’s one thing to be despised, but even worse to be invisible. But God specializes in choosing, saving, and using people just like that. That’s why grace is so amazing. He has no favorites, and the unlovely really shine when His love heals them! Being a real cowboy may mean something. But what means far more is being a real child of God. And that’s what happens to anyone who calls on the name of the Lord. They get in on it, and it’s real. Thank God!

Lord, give us real grace so that we become real Christians, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Brent Flory, brentflory.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Brent, and God bless you.