Out Our Way:

Mark 9:42-50

Out our way, as Goliath is fond of reminding me, if you want to see an example of a forgiving, patient and loving heart, look to the horse. How many times has old Doc patiently waited for me to go through my clumsy attempts at saddling him up for a ride - and discover the saddle is too far forward or too far back once I have tightened the cinch - and I have to start all over again? How many times have I confused him with mixed signals - telling him one thing with the reins and another with the legs? And of course what an embarrasment to have me falling off him at a gentle lope. All the other horses snicker at what a doofus he has for a rider. It must be embarrassing for him out in the pasture when the other horses give him a hard time.

Yet when I drive up to the corral, there is is with a nicker or a whinny - ears straight up and ready to greet me. Only once has he run away from me when he got loose - and that was just because it was so much fun to make me chase him. But when I have fallen off and might be hurt or at least winded, he has never deserted me. He stays near and when I do manage to get back on my feet, he waits patiently for his klutz of a rider to come over, get the reins and climb back into the saddle. He has never threatened to kick, bite, buck, or hurt me in anyway. "That," says professor Goliath, "is the nature of the good horse."

But I have run into some bad-tempered horses - and more often than not, their meanness is a result of mistreatment by someone. I have been bitten, kicked and bucked by bad-tempered horses and, for a time, I was afraid of all horses because of the bad ones. Turns out most of the "bad ones" were afraid of people because of the far worse one they had to deal with.

Now, over the years, as a pastor and simply as plain old Brother John, I have come across a few people who are like those bad-tempered ponies. They see me as the enemy because I wear the collar, because somewhere along the way, someone who also called themselves Christian did some terrible harm to them. So, as a representative of the Church and of Christ, they react to me with ears laid back, teeth bared, and a readiness to kick at my approach. Many people may call themselves "Christians" - but if they do not follow Christ and do as He would do, they are NOT disciples.

In this week's text, Christ warned His disciples about the misrepresenting Him to the world. He took a child and said "Anyone who leads a child astray would be better off cast into the sea with a millstone around his neck." Remember that the "only scriptures most people read are the lives of their neighbors who call themselves Christians." If we dare to claim the title "Christian," we take on the authority of Christ to those around us. Woe to those who abuse that authority!

 There is a ditty I read years ago that I still find myself quoting:

 "Mr. World goes to Church - he goes there every Sunday.

  "But Mr. World will go to Hell - for what he does each Monday."

Holy frijoles, amigos - I AM Mr. World often enough. God help me realize that and so treat all as Christ would treat them - indeed let every stranger be as Christ to me so that instead of a scared pony with teeth bared and ready to lash out, my neighbor will come to the corral gate at Christ's approach, with ears up and a welcoming whinny. Then the Lord will turn to me and say "Good job, Brother John!"

--

John Bruington is pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He is a student under saddle of "Doc" Goliath whose patience and gentle heart are a daily lesson to a rather slow witted and less than gifted student.