What I Dun in Texas

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced. (Matthew 7:15-20 NLV).

A cowboy rode into town and stopped at the saloon for a drink (root beer, of course!). Unfortunately, the locals always had a habit of picking on those of a British background, which he was. When he finished, he found his horse had been stolen. He came back into the bar, handily flipped his gun into the air, caught it above his head without even looking and fired a shot into the ceiling. "WHICH ONE OF YOU SIDEWINDERS STOLE MY HOSS?" he yelled with surprising forcefulness. No one answered. "ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA HAVE ME ANOTHA SODA, AND IF MY HOSS AIN'T BACK OUTSIDE BY THE TIME I FINISH, I'M GONNA DO WHAT I DUN IN TEXAS! AND IIIIIIIIIIII DON'T LIKE TO HAVE TO DO WHAT I DUUUUUN IN TEXAS!" Some of the locals shifted restlessly. He had another root beer, walked outside, and his horse was back! He saddled up and started to ride out of town. The bartender wandered out of the bar and asked, "Say partner, what happened in Texas?" The cowboy turned back and said, "I had to walk home..."

Ever known anybody like that, lots of threats, but no real intention to carry out them out? All talk but ultimately no action? More to the point, is your Christian life characterized more by what you sat you're going to do, or by what you're actually willing to do? Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount was directed toward those who He called “hypocrites.” Many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were just such people. They talked a very good game, but when it came to actions they were very empty. They had no good “fruit,” because they were not good “trees.” Many Christians today fall into that category.

Please don’t misunderstand this truth and think that I’m talking about mere activity. Many people do a lot of things, but their actions are empty because at the heart of their motivation there is only pride and arrogance. The hypocritical religious people of Jesus’ day did many things, however they were motivated by selfish reasons. We are called to a life, which is motivated by a genuine love for God and others. Church attendance, good deeds, almsgiving, even ministry motivated by what we might gain is empty and hollow.

Today I encourage you to reexamine your motives for all of those things that you do. Don’t just ask “what?”, rather ask “why?” Rid yourself of any selfish attitudes and turn your talk into walk!