Cowboys and Heroes

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (Matthew 7:15-17, ESV). Several weeks ago I saw a special on TV that chronicled the life of William Boyd. For those of you who did not grow up in the early 50’s this name may not be very familiar. William Boyd made the character of Hopalong Cassidy come to life. He was a genuine hero for thousands of children. When I was a kid, cowboys were my heroes. There was Hopalong Cassidy, Tex Ritter, Tom Mix, Buck Jones, the Lone Ranger, Red Ryder, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers. Then later, there was Marshall Matt Dillon, Hoss and Li'l Joe Cartwright, Paladin, Maverick, and Rawhide's Rowdy Yates. They all had a common list of attributes. Here are a few of those:  They were never looking for trouble.  But when trouble came, they faced it with courage.  They were always on the side of right.  They defended good people against bad people.  They had high morals.  They had good manners.  They were honest.  They spoke their minds and they spoke the truth, regardless of what people thought or "political correctness," which no one had ever heard of back then.  They were a beacon of integrity in the wild, wild West.  They were respected. When they walked into a saloon (where they usually drank only sarsaparilla), the place became quiet, and the bad guys kept their distance.  They always won. They always got their man. In victory, they rode off into the sunset. Those were the days when there was such a thing as right and wrong, something blurred in our modern world, and denied by many. I still like cowboys. They represent something good, something pure that our modern world has been missing. Today’s culture is more interested in outward appearances than inward character. William Boyd sacrificed everything he owned and risked his entire future to purchase the rights to Hopalong Cassidy solely so that he could continue to portray the character to influence children toward doing what was right and good. His story had a very successful ending. He was beloved by many and his character emulated in the lives of thousands of boys and girls. There was another individual who has influenced many. He has been a hero to some. His character certainly ought to be copied into our lives. His name is Jesus. He wasn’t a cowboy, though I think had he been born in that era, he would have been! Who is your hero today? Who are you seeking to emulate? Make it Jesus!