The Horse Story

Luke 3:7 (The Message)
7-9When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."

Monday evening was pretty much shaping up to be a typical night. Kim was off work that day, so Andrew and her were at home. I was driving by myself, and had just left Rochester when the evening changed. About a mile out of town two horses ran in front of my car, both without reins and unbridled. I immediately called the police and turned the car around, I guess I believed I could somehow stop the horses from running out into traffic. As I stopped the car in the middle of the four lane highway, one of the horses was hit by a car, or the horse hit the car, it really did not matter at that moment. I watched the horse fly at least 30 feet into the air and then hit the pavement with a sickening crash. I ran up and pinned the horse down at his neck, a trick I honestly learned from watching westerns. The police and other people showed up and helped, and eventually a veterinarian came and eased the horse’s pain by putting him to sleep. Pastor and Vicki drove by, and Vicki told Pastor, “I think that was Kevin!” I left an hour after witnessing the accident, colder and very upset. I stopped at Edinburg, got coffee, and washed my hands. And was so very ready to be home.
At one point, the owner noticed that I had my eyes shut and was talking softly to myself. She asked if I was praying, and I replied in the affirmative. She thanked me for that. And why not? This was one of God’s creatures, and he was suffering so much. I had done the same thing over the last year for my uncle Roger and for my mom. It has really started to bother me, watching something or someone so complex, so well crafted, destroyed by pain. I love God, but I don’t understand pain, and this may be one of the biggest mysteries I cannot find answers to when I ask.
John the Baptist became one of my favorite people in the Bible about a year ago. I started to realize that John was put on the earth for one thing, and that was to announce the arrival of Jesus. I preached on that subject, asking the question, “what if you were only put here for one reason?” “What if, God decided that your whole purpose was to save one life, or change one person’s attitude about life, or to give someone meaning?” And that was it, there was really nothing else left to accomplish. Go ahead, marry, have babies, work at your job, drive your car, watch some t.v., but you fulfilled your purpose years ago.

It is a hard idea to grasp. But it makes John so much more impressive. Because he knew what his life held, what his future would turn out like, and he worked even harder to fulfill what God had in mind for him. This is why he tells the people who came down for the “show” to change their lives, because if it is deadwood, then it is going to burn.
How do people who are not living their lives in “a full blown Christian mode” handle pain? How do they handle grief? I will be honest with you, I hated 2008 and 2009, and I am glad they are over. They were rough, they were extremely taxing, and they stunk. Between losing family, losing our house in Taylorville, the former governor making this state a joke, and every other problem, 2008 and 2009 just really blew chunks. And the horse, that was the capper. I didn’t sleep for two nights because I kept seeing the horse, and even as I wrote this, it still remained fresh in my mind.
So why this story and this scripture to start off the new year? Because the owner said something that made me think of the words John spoke to the crowd that day. “This isn’t the first time they have gotten out, it’s my fault, I should have fixed that fence.” It's your life that must change, not your skin. A life is gone because you did not fix a fence, and even today, as Kim and I drove by the farm on the way to work, the fence is still not fixed. Is there not a lesson to be learned here? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? Don’t whitewash the fence, fix it. You still have another horse, aren’t you for a minute worried about it? John tells the crowd they should worry, because nothing, not even their claims of relationship to Abraham, are going to help them.
Try that right now. Claim to know the former governor, see how far it gets you. Jesus himself reminds us in Mark 10:23 (The Message)
23-25Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?" The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult. I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom."
People who have it all will find out how difficult it is to enter. Because their fences are in disarray, their hedges are askew, and their lives are not green and growing. And they cannot find anything to fill that void in their hearts. It is just another horse, another child, another car, more money, more worries.
And John advises the people accordingly. You want to save your horse, your children, your lives. Then change. Nothing else you do matters. Baptism is not the answer. Change is the answer. But for some it does not come easy. You want to save the horse, the kids, the way you live,
then it is time to rebuild the fence. It is time to realize that things have to change. But it means real work. It means that on a cold rainy day you may have to go outside and work. It may mean dirty work, around people you may not like, but you have to get over prejudices and look towards the big picture.
That’s just the way it is.
There is not another exit to take.
There is no other television show on tonight.
Real change has to take place.
Baptism, trips to the altar, giving to the poor, it all means nothing if the heart is still stoic and hardened.
That’s all I have.