Out Our Way: Watch them spurs!

2Tim 2:14 "Remind them before God to avoid wrangling over words which does no good, but only ruins those who ate listening"

Out our way, we don't have many tourists and aside from me, most of the folks weaning cowboy gear are the real deal. But in the bigger cities - especially during fair season, we get tourists who try to pretend to be cowboys and get caught.  

I have shared the story of the dude who bought chaps but didn't know they went over the jean, not instead of them, but my favorite story was from the "Cowboy Bar" across from the fairgrounds during the State Fair rodeo. A dude walked in wearing spurs he had recently bought at the H bar O Tack Shop.  

Now as poor a cowhand as I am, I don't know of many non-working wranglers who wear their spurs "off duty" in town. But the dude wanted to pretend he was the real deal and came in with the rowels a-jingling like in the song - he had to have the fancy big ones to get the noise like in the Hollywood movies

Well, the "Cowboy" features an old fashioned bar with the railing , and the dude went up and order a shot, put one spurred foot up on the railing and drank it down. He ordered another and - well, let's just say this was the good stuff and he began to feel it. I am not sure exactly how he managed it, but somehow he got his spurs tangled when he stepped back, and to the laughter and delight of the crowd, went face down. As those who have worked cows with me will testify, wearing spurs, chaps and a cowboy hat doesn't make you a top hand. 

Timothy had a similar view of loud mouth "preachers" who talked the talk , but didn't walk the walk. We see modern "Medicine Show Preachers" on TV these days who may build up a large audience to fill their auditoriums and bank accounts, but who do little or nothing for the Kingdom. This is nothing new - Timothy and Paul both had to deal with them in their day as well. And like the dude with the fancy spurs, in the end they all fell flat on their faces.

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].