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Back in January of this year, my angus bull broke through the boundary fence between me and another neighbor. He seemed bent on getting to my neighbor's cows, not content with his own harem. He fought with my neighbor's bull who was much larger, older, and very intent on protecting his girls from the despicable intrusion. In short, my bull got his butt kicked only after tearing out about 600 feet of 5 strand barbed wire fence. I was unaware of the disaster until nearly nightfall when my neighbor drove up my driveway and told me. I went with my wife and neighbor and over a couple of cold hours, got my bull back where he belonged and propped up the fence till morning. It was very cold at the time.
After the neighbor went home, he opened up his whiskey bottle and threw back a couple or three drinks. He called me up on the phone later in the evening and proceeded to curse me, my bull, the fence and anything else the whiskey led him to. Heretofore, my bull had never been across the fence, a first time non capital offense, and my neighbor somehow had forgotten that his bull had come across the same fence a year earlier, go figure. ( I got a dandy bull calf 9 months later from the affair) The thing is though, I didn't curse the neighbor when his bull did the nasty but my neighbor Goddamned me several times when he called me that night back in January.
More than anything else that offends me in this life is taking God's name in vain. He did it full of whiskey and I held my tongue for all of this year until yesterday when my 8 month old border collie puppy chased my neighbors cows. My neighbor chased the dog all over a 20 acre field unsuccessfully trying to catch or corral him. Again, I was unaware this had happened. My wife had taken him for a walk down our driveway to get the mail and he got excited and crossed the fence in sin. My neighbor came up the driveway and turned his truck around so that his wife was between me and him. I greeted them as I always do and asked how they were. Not very good, they replied. He then proceeded to threaten to shoot my dog on sight and cursed me several times again. He then Goddamned me several more times. I proceeded to tell him in my louder voice that he couldn't threaten me or my dog or ever curse me using my God's name in vain again. I was prepared to fight over this but was on the wrong side of his truck in my crappiest wheelchair. Anyway, his words after that was, "you stay on your side of the fence, I 'll stay on my side". His god is not my God. The funny thing about that though was two weeks ago he remembered that I had offered him the use of my pond to water his cattle because his pond went dry in the drought. I even loaned him my 300 gallon water tank, which he accepted while I was out of town a few days. As I write this article, he has NOT disconnected the water or given my tank back, and his cattle are happily grazing a pasture he could otherwise not use without my water.
Late last evening, I thought about shutting the water off, and going to retrieve my tank but didn't.
My neighbor is a crude and rude pagan although his wife is a Methodist. He is 75 years old and has had plenty of opportunities to hear and see Christian people live their lives. I am sure he coats his non-belief with the paint of our hypocrisy and ungodly behavior, using us as a stumbling block for his unbelief. Even as God lives in me, my flesh and blood still wars with my soul for control. Some would say that you can be a moral person without God. Maybe. But I think not. It is exactly that warring in my body and soul and the conviction that God in Heaven will prevail in spite of my failings and continuing sin to deliver me up to perfection in His sight some day. My neighbor does not have that problem.He sees no need for God's salvation through Christ, not does he believe that he is a fallen or lost soul. His beliefs are in the majority in this world, and I recognize that fact. It is hard to worship a God whom you cannot see, or feel, or touch. Therefore it is left up to one to believe. We think (I am speaking for myself) that we come to God of our own accord when in fact, He calls us first and nudges us to accept Him. He loved us before we loved Him. He elected us as heirs before we were even put here on this earth. I can't tell you who will be saved or not. It is not in my job description. But I leave you with this passage (paraphrased) and my interpretation of it.
Jesus had fed several thousand people with a few fishes and a few loaves of bread, and it was said that no one went away hungry, in fact, all who ate were filled. When the people recognized what Jesus had done, there was a near riot to get to Him for more miracles. He escaped and went to be alone to pray and later that night while His disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee, they saw Him from far off walking on water coming towards them. As he got closer to them, Peter bravely said if You can walk on water Lord, so can I. And Jesus said come on out of the boat and join me. Peter did. All the disciples were amazed at this and watched as Peter and the Lord walked around for some time until Peter realized the gravity of his situation. (No pun intended) He began to sink and cried out, "Lord, save me!" And Jesus grabbed him by the hand and lifted him up. We only have so much faith, some more than others. Me, less. Apparently, Peter was too far from the boat to get back, and the other disciples couldn't get to him in time to keep him from disaster, so all there was between Peter and certain death was Jesus. It makes perfect sense. You can't save yourself, your friends or family or religion can't save you, and one thing is certain, you and I are going to drown out our lives someday, many of us in darkness. All we need is God's hand to save us, to lift us up. He has done that for me.
I hope my neighbor sees that hand in time.
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rural living
