Earlier this month a cattle roping event was held in our area to help raise funds for an upcoming camp for grieving children.  The camp provides an excellent opportunity to help children cope with the death of close relatives or friends.

Although I worked with my granddaddy many years in cattle farming, roping or rodeo was not something that I was ever involved in.  It might be interesting to watch, but it is not something I care to take part in—particularly at this stage of life when I try hard to avoid accidents instead of deliberately putting myself in situations that would invite them to occur.

Needless to say, I did not beg to participate in that worthy and exciting cause!

However, I did have a very small and behind the scene involvement in what was to take place.  On the morning of the event I had some printed material that needed to be delivered to the arena so I headed over and was instructed by a helpful young lady to drive around back where I would find the staging point for the roping.  I drove around and spotted the person I was looking for.  I also looked around and realized that I probably did not fit in too well.

Nobody mistreated me and I was well received, but as I observed a big truck and trailer sitting there, horses, and the usual scene that one would expect in such a setting, I concluded that my driving up on an old white Buick made me the odd man in the bunch; even though I have no doubt that I was absolutely welcome to hang out with them, in reality, I was outside of my comfort zone.

Thankfully, only a few people were present and I was able to take care of business and make my escape with at least most of my dignity intact!  I suppose we all need a lesson in humility once in a while.

As followers of Christ, we live in a world in which we will not always fit in with what is taking place around us.  It is obvious that our world filled with greed, lust, hatred, and all sorts of desires and actions that run in contradiction with God’s plan for those who sincerely wish to follow Him.  If we find ourselves having bought into the godless values (or perhaps, more correctly stated as the lack of any real meaningful values) that are so prevalent around us, we would do well to take some heart-searching inventory of our lives.

The apostle Peter sheds interesting light on how God’s people do not always fit in in the present world:  “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us” (1 Peter 2:11-12, New International Version).

We live in this world, but for those who follow Christ, we do not belong to the world nor approve of its sinful practices.  There are times in which we must make choices and take stands that some will not understand.  Indeed, at times they will despise us.

Nevertheless, with our faith firmly in Him, we are on the way to our eternal home in Heaven where we will fit in forever with our Lord Who loves us unconditionally.