Out Our Way: Babysitting cows - Titus 2:11-14

Out our way, I rode a big bay quarter horse I called "Doc." His official name was "Goliath" as he stood 16½ hands high and weighed in at around 1,200-plus pounds. But I started calling him "Doc" because over the years I learned so much from him. I referred to him as my "Professor of Horse-Sense Theology" - and a great deal of what I share with you in these columns came from studying "theology under saddle."

It is amazing the lessons that God can teach us through some most unexpected teachers along the way, and Doc was not my only professor. I recall riding on the Empire ranch in the Wyo-braska sand hills - the area where the Nebraska panhandle and the eastern Wyoming plains come together. Anyway, Elsie, who was teaching me to ride, took a group of us would-be wranglers out to the extreme western edge of their ranch where she and husband Cecil were raising Texas longhorns. One of the things she pointed out to us was that many of the cattle were over at the reservoir or grazing in groups here and there, but most of the calves were in one place along with one cow.

Elsie explained that longhorns - and I expect other breeds as well - "babysit" for one another. One cow stays with the calves keeping an eye on them and watching for predators - we had at least one lion in the area and quite a few coyotes - while the other cattle go about grazing and watering. They take turns, of course, but I had no idea that cattle could be so unselfish and willing to help each other out. Babysitting cattle. Who knew?

I am pleased to say that out at the mall where I haul carts, I often see some folks showing the same sort of generous spirit and common decency those cows showed each other. People offer to help out when they see a need. Daily, I see strangers taking the time to care about folks who clearly could use a hand.

Sadly, I also see some folks who could take a few lessons from cattle in basic decency, who are so self-centered they simply don't care about anyone else. The guy who decides to zoom through the lots - speed limit is 15 on the roadway - at 50 mph despite the fact there are families with small children walking there. He doesn't care. He just guns his loud engine, peels rubber, and races through the lot making sure everyone sees what a "muscle car" he's driving.

Then there is the able-bodied young woman who decides it's too much bother to take her now empty cart to the corral two parking spaces over, and so just leaves it, effectively blocking others from parking there as well as allowing the cart to roll out into traffic and perhaps, when the wind pushed it, slam into someone else's car.

I confess, I get a bit irritated by such selfish behavior - but then I see someone with at least the same sense of caring as those "babysitting cows." The one who takes the cart to the corral - and it's not always me - holds the door for others, helps a mother trying to handle two toddlers load her car, etc., etc., etc. - and my sense of hope for humanity rises again. As Titus noted, "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people" [vs.11], and that in Christ, God has "given Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good (vs. 14)." I see a lot of folks "eager to do what is good," not only at Christmas, but all year round. There is hope for the world when folks show at least the courtesy and caring of "babysitting cows." 

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Brother John 

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The Rev. John Bruington is the retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He now lives in Colorado, but continues to write "Out Our Way." He can be reached for comment or dialogue at [email protected].