Riding For the Brand
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True…”~ Rev. 19:11
As most of my readers know, I'm a movie buff, especially classic westerns. But any western will do if it has good acting and story-line.
Along with this, in second place, are cowboy novels such as Zane Grey's, but especially high on the list, Louis L'Amour. His Sackett series are my favorites. Every man and boy ought to read, "To the Far Blue Hills." I have a theory why Westerns have become almost extinct; they promote manliness and patriotism. Something this world is diametrically opposed to.
I say all this because of something I saw while taking my daily mile walk a few years back. There is a small closed-up airport next to our mobile home park where I’d walk. At times, large trucks park there overnight. One particular morning there was an exceptionally large one, all shiny and clean. As I passed, I noticed a large decal next to the cab door. It was a picture of the Cross with a cowboy kneeling at its foot, his hat in hand, his head bowed in reverence; and the caption, in large letters read, "I RIDE FOR THE BRAND."
For those not familiar with cowboy terms, it simply means, "To be loyal to the ranch, and especially the rancher for whom you work. Money can't buy you off, threats can't scare you off, and no amount of hardships can run you off! Those cowboys were not perfect by far, but most would die before they'd betray, "The Brand."
This then is the duty and privilege of each member of the body of Christ. Whether realized or not, when you said yes to Jesus Christ, you began, "Riding For the Brand."
I thought as I read those heart-rending words on the trucks side, the only thing I really care about after I'm gone is for those who knew me to say, "He rode for the brand all his long Christian life."