Getting the Point

The kids and I went last Monday with a group to the Virginia Safari Park near Natural Bridge. This is a drive-through zoo, where the animals roam freely over hundreds of acres of beautiful countryside. We boarded a large tractor-drawn wagon and headed into the park! Each passenger received a small white bucket full of grain pellets in which to feed the animals who would approach at various stops along the way. Our guide mentioned the various animals we would be encountering -- bison, antelope, camels, llamas, water buffalo, ostrich, zebras, etc. She told us that we could hold our buckets out to let the animals feed from them, BUT she said, she recommended that if the animal has horns or antlers, place a handful of pellets on the floor near the edge instead, and let them lick it up. Why, you ask? Because the animals are sometimes so excited to get the pellets, that you could accidentally get poked with horns or antlers trying to feed them.

Sure enough, as we made our first stop we were approached by a myriad of creatures -- llamas, water buffalo and Watusi cattle! I've seen the Watusi cows on TV before (large horned cows found in parts of Africa), but these horns are MASSIVE! So big that they almost look like dunce caps placed on both sides of the cow's head! Gentle animals, but I definitely did not want to encounter those horns, so we did as our guide instructed and let these animals partake from under our seats! It was really fun (albeit a little slobbery!).

OK, now the lesson I learned. I have found in life and in ministry that people are much like those Watusi Cattle. We all want to be fed -- we are needy people after all! We all need ministring to, we all need counsel, and we need to work together for the building of His kingdom! But sometimes when you are trying to help someone or just work along side someone, you encounter their horns. Unintentional perhaps, because we all have them, but it's not uncommon to get poked, even gored from time to time! Learning how to "feed" and work with our brothers and sisters can be tricky. We need to rely on our guide, Christ, to direct us on how best go about it -- take it out of our hands, so to speak. After all, we are all beggers just telling other beggers where to find bread! When I try to feed others out of my own bucket of supposed wisdom or strength, I can get hurt, because counsel or ideas not well received, or our deeds not recognized as we think they should be, have a way of jabbing at our pride, our self-esteem, and our feelings. Differences in personalities can cause horns to become locked together, and sadly, we can even decide to use them as weapons! But when we follow our Guide's instructions, our horns needn't be so threatening! God tells us everything we need to know about how to live and work together in peace, how to mentor one another in love, how to resolve conflicts, etc. And I can receive those things from others because my own image is not at risk. My identity, as David preached, is rooted in Christ, not in myself and my own works or "wisdom". It's not about me, you see! Ooh, that was hard to type! But it's really not! It's about Christ, and His Kingdom! So, following my guide's instructions, I can give constructive criticism, advise, correction, etc. without crushing someone's spirit, and I can receive it without being crushed! And real forgiveness flows out of this godly dynamic! We are all going to encounter each other's "horns," from time to time, so I want make sure I am following God's Word on how to keep from accidentally poking someone! I'm also hoping that as God sanctifies me, my horns will actually become smaller and smaller!