Thursday; July 12

I was probably a little young to enjoy the show “Rawhide” when I was a child, but I sure did like the theme song.  Frankie Laine’s version of song is the one that I recall the most, but I have to admit that I do like the Blues Brothers’ rendition as well.  The other day I was listening to the song and one of the verses struck a chord with me (sorry about the pun, there).  In the middle of the song the cowpoke laments, “Keep movin’, movin’, movin’ ... Though they’re disapprovin’ ... Keep them dogies moving’, Rawhide.  Don’t try to understand ‘em ... Just rope ‘em, throw, and brand ‘em.  Soon we’ll be livin’ high and wide ... My heart’s calculatin’ ... my true love will be waitin’ ... Be waitin’ at the end of my ride”.  
Now that I have this song stuck in your brain, let me ask a question – are we tempted to treat people the way this cowboy treats his cattle?  If you have ever been around a herd of cattle, you realize that sometimes what they do makes no sense at all, so it is futile to try to get inside their heads.  While treating cows this way is good business, it make for poor humanity when we do it to people.  Cattle have no conscience, no goals, no soul so it is natural to treat them as a commodity – but, people are made in the image of God and they must be treated with respect!  Even when we don’t understand why someone does something, that doesn’t mean that their reason is without merit.  Humanity and civility require that we try to see another person’s perspective.  Even if we don’t agree with it, there is value in trying to understand it.
Are we treating people like a commodity to be used for our own gain?  If so, we will have to answer to their True Master – our God and Creator!
          Think About It!

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