RIDIN' FOR THE BRAND



As the colors were raised up the wooden flagpole, I reached for my hat, covered my heart and whispered
a prayer of gratitude.  Thank you Lord for so many blessings,  This morning at this moment I thank you for
the blessing of freedom where I can stand and worship you freely.  I was standing on the eastern edge of
a gathering of boy scouts.  They were here for a Cowboy Camp-O-Ree and Prissy and I were doing our
part to help increase their knowledge of the early American cowboy.  I couldn’t help my eyes wandering to
my left as the pledge of allegiance was being recited.  I was struck first by the size of the group; it was
small, less than half of the more than 250 scouts and adults gathered for the event.
I have grown accustomed to a low response on Sunday mornings in our work with cowboy shooting
circles but I didn’t know what to expect with a bunch of boy scouts.  I was hoping for a positive response
but I didn’t get it.  As my eyes wandered across the gathering, some of them were saluting the flag with
the scout’s salute while some were not.  Some of them had uncovered, while a large number did not.  
Some of them was carrying on a conversation and ignoring the proceedings, oblivious to the happing
around them.  They were totally unaware of the price that had been paid for them to be standing there
doing whatever it was that there were doing and it was obvious they did not care.  Then I remembered that
the freedom to worship also includes the freedom not to.
After the honor guard retired, the Chair for the event introduced me as the Cowboy Preacher for the
morning.  As I took my place at the front of the group and the group was being seated, a number of them
turned and walked away.  Scouting is not what it used to be.
Sadness washed over me as anger welled up.  I had the desire to lash out, to chastise, and to correct
this errant, discourteous behavior.  “Lord, help me to remember what I am here for,” I prayed.  There is
truly a thin line between desire and obedience.
I was the cowboy preacher and it was my job to bring a message to a group of boys and girls where the
median age was somewhere around 14.  I started by talking about admiration and how we can admire
someone across the way while that person is admiring another in the crowd and it makes a circle until
there is someone in the crowd admiring the one that started the circle.  I explained there was only one of
them, and admiration was OK so long as it didn’t degenerate into copying.  They were to be themselves
and fulfill the God determined purpose that was theirs alone.  Then I told the story of “The Cowboy”
(DramaScene,  Ridin’ for the Brand, March 2007).  I don’t know if they made the connection of “the
preacher” riding into camp and “the cowboy” who was the object of thanksgiving at the end of the story or
not, for in the middle of the ending I had to move out of the way as a parent in a hurry in a SUV wanted to
use the road I was standing in.  I guess he didn’t realize that all the people standing with their heads
bowed meant they were praying.  I made it short, ended the service and walked away.  I was sad to my
core and it was time to be along.  I was reminded that selfishness really is the second sin of Adam, pride
was the first.
What is it that makes a group of young people rude, arrogant, and inconsiderate of others?  What is it that
creates a bully where his value is in his ability to abuse another?  Then it occurred to me.  It was the
same thing that caused the parents to flagrantly disregard the rules of the ranch as well as the rules of
common courtesy for no other reason than they didn’t want to park their cars in one place and walk.  I was
struck by the behavior of the kids but it was the kids as the product of the parents that created the pain.  
This was the group from which tomorrows leaders will come.  God have mercy!
There is not a single one of us at some time in our Christian walk that has not had to struggle with
desire.  It is a reoccurring companion and a reminder of just how far it is from desire to sin.  Even though
there is a space between desire and covet and desire and lust, and are only a heartbeat apart, separated
by the intensity of the possession.
There is no sin in temptation.  The sin is yielding to the temptation.  There is no sin in desire.  The sin is
in holding to the desire, feeding it, allowing it to grow until it is the tail that wags the dog.
`There is no limit to where desire can take us.  It can be to lust after, to covet, to seek revenge, or to control
another’s life.  It can be the trial that allows us to grow spiritually or the temptation that carries us away
from the Master.  It was time for me to go to the Word for it is in the Word that the Lord is revealed to us.  
Now I know the Lord was tempted in all ways just as we are and was yet without sin.  As He was
preparing to celebrate the last Passover with his Disciples the Lord told them, "With fervent desire I have
desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is
fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16 NKJ)
It occurred to me that I was expecting too much from this bunch of kids.  This group was like every other
group; some are believers, while most are not.  I was expecting these to be courteous, friendly, kind,
obedient, cheerful, friendly and brave little boys and girls all.  What I got was a reminder that Prissy was
right, lost people absolutely do act like lost people.
As I returned to the tables and a demonstration of cowboy paraphernalia I encountered a small group of
Boy Scouts.  Thank you Lord, for the desire to correct, but thank you so much more, for the good sense
just to mind my own business and be obedient.

© Carl H. Lenz, 2007
DESIRE HAPPENS