Psalm 37:10-11 Be Meek for the Lord

A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

 though you look for them, they will not be found. 

But the meek will inherit the land

 and enjoy peace and prosperity.

Psalm 37:10-11

My favorite novel is Monte Walsh, by Jack Schaefer. There are other books I've read more than once, but none of them as often as Monte Walsh. I have two copies of the book, both paperback. One is so worn from re-reading that the cover and pages feel like soft cotton. On the inside of the back cover I've noted the month and year of each time I've re-read the book. I actually read the book a few times before I started keeping track, and I've read it a couple of times since then, using a newer edition I bought.

The opening line: 

A boy and a horse.

That pretty much summarizes the plot. Monte Walsh, who begins the novel as a young boy and concludes it as an older man, becomes one of the best cowboys ever at handling horses.

There are several times in the tale where Monte tops a wild bronc and hangs on through a rough and dangerous ride, eventually calming the horse. I hesitate to say he "tames" horses, because the ideal horse, in the mind of any good cowboy, is one that has been trained to follow the rider's wishes, but retains the energy and personality of a wild horse.

In one story, Monte, as an old vagabond cowhand, is working with a rough crew, for a mean boss.  As they're gathering cattle, a neighboring farmer arrives and says he can't find his milk cow.  He wants to know if they could remove the milk cow from the herd of longhorns. 

The boss rudely refuses, saying he has no intention of stirring up the cattle by sending cowboys into their midst to search for one milk cow. Monte Walsh offers to do it, and promises he and his veteran horse won't disturb the cattle. The younger cowboys laugh at the old man and at his boasts about his old worn down horse.

Monte tells them his horse can do it even without a rider, which brings even more laughter. But once the farmer gives the horse a whiff of the milk cow's bridle, Monte sends the horse in. The old horse smoothly winds his way through the herd, locates the cow, and gently but insistently nudges the nervous cow through the longhorns and back out to the edge. The herd was barely disturbed.

That same horse, whenever Monte first climbs aboard each morning, goes into a fit of bucking and kicking and trying to unseat the cowboy. It's not quite as wild as when they were both younger, but both Monte and the horse enjoy the exercise.

The word translated as meekness in scriptures is a word used to describe a wild horse that has been tamed just enough to be subservient and loyal to its master, but still retaining a healthy dose of wild energy. 

If we put our energy into fighting what we see as evil in our country, we might have some successes. We also might give in to the worst of our wild nature, stirring up troubles and alienating the very people the Master wants us to be winnowing out from the crowd and reuniting with the Master.  

Much of 21st century church culture urges God's people toward arguing, debating, fighting, and pushing for our rights. But just imagine the victories we could win if we continually put our efforts and energy into whatever the Lord sets us to doing.