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This week I want to jump right into our message. I don't know about you, but I must confess, I'm puzzled by folks who like living in the gray zone. What do I mean by living in the "gray zone"? I mean people who are never willing to fully commit, either in word, or in deed (action) to anything. That's living in the gray zone. Now, I'm sure there are those who would prefer a more gentler term for gray zone, like balanced. The word "balanced" is an over-used term and as a result, it has become a replacement word for gray zone indecisiveness. In the long run, it matters very little to God how balanced we think we are. According to Revelation 3: 15-16 (see above scripture), God isn't looking for balance when it comes to our deeds (actions). When it comes to our deeds, God is looking for an all-out commitment from His children that says, "I'm totally and completely with you!"
None of our half-hearted, kind of in - but kind of not, stuck in the middle with you, teeter-tottering, balanced, gray-zone indecisiveness ever pleases God. Scripture gives us a rather stark and vivid picture of how God really feels when it comes to our deeds (actions). The Bible says because we are neither cold nor hot in our deeds, but merely lukewarm, we make God want to "spit" (yep, the Bible uses the word spit) us right out of His mouth! Try to get a visual and wrap your head around that for a moment. Shocking, huh? I don't know about you, but out here in the country where I come from, most of us rednecks have a pretty good understanding about the rules of spitting. First off, you don't spit unless you're chewin', and you certainly don't spit unless you're sick to your stomach and you got no choice. Anyway you look at it, spittin' ain't a pretty sight. This should let us know just how distasteful God considers it when our actions are neither black or white, nor cold or hot! Comfortable serving God in the gray zone? Forget about it!
When It Comes To Horses
ACTIONS ARE BLACK AND WHITE
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth."
(1 John 3: 18)
Even if horses could speak, it wouldn't be necessary. Why? Their deeds (actions) speak louder than words! Can you guess what the black horse with the penned ears is saying to the other horse?
Have you ever thought about the animal kingdom? Why did God create animals without the ability to speak? Is it really because they have nothing to say? I'm sure if our dog, or our horse could speak, they might look at us and say, "What's for dinner?" or maybe, "Could we spend some time together?" Maybe if we've neglected them in some way, he or she might even ask, "Why don't you take better care of me?" Instead of giving animals the ability to talk, God chose to give them strong, black and white actions - actions that we don't have to decipher or decode to understand.
No one that has ever watched a herd of horses together in a pasture has to ask themselves if horses can speak. They speak volumes without uttering a word. Likewise, if a horse pens his ears, pulls back his lips and bares his teeth, or swiftly turns his hiney towards you, he is clearly telling you that a bad action is about to follow. In the same way, if a horse lowers his head, licks and chews, or gives you two kind eyes, he is saying something else. He is saying that he is relaxed, using the thinking side of his brain, and his attention is focused on you. A horse doesn't announce his forth-coming action with words. Instead, he tells you with his behavior (body language) what he is about to do, and then he follows through. Nope, animals can't talk, but if you're listening and watching closely, their deeds (actions) always speak louder than words.
What's More Important
Than Talk?
THE WALK!
"Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked."
(1 John 2: 6, ESV)
When working with horses, we have to use a body language that they understand. Unleashing a barrage of words, especially angry words, when working with a horse is a no-win situation. Angry words don't have much meaning to a horse other than to confuse him, make him nervous, or agitate him. This horse is about to remind his trainer of that fact with a little head-knock therapy. This is one of those times when a lot less talk on behalf of the trainer, and a little more action (correct body language) would have been wisdom.
Words, used by themselves, don't have much meaning to a horse. Having said that, I confess that I'm one of those crazy, horse loving gals who talks to my horses. Do they understand me? I believe they do, but only when I accompany (or attach) my words to a specific deed (or action).
Let me give you an example. When I tell my horse, Montana, that I love him, I always stroke his neck affectionately, or kiss him just above his eye very gently. He responds with a soft look, and oftentimes, he will gently place his head in my arms with no coercion. On the other hand, if I tell him I love him, but I don't put any action to my words like stroking his neck or kissing him above his eye, he shows little to no response. To a horse, words and action must go together.
Montana always responds to love,
and love is always an action word!
Let me give you another example. When I first teach my horse to back up, I don't use any words. I simply cue him with a specific body language (action). In the early stages of his training, I over-exaggerate every move I make. In other words, I make everything black and white, with no shades of gray. Later, when I know that my horse understands what it is I am asking of him, then I begin to refine my body language and become more subtle with my cues. Eventually, the goal is to get the desired result (in this case, backing up) with the least amount of effort on my part. After my horse understands what I'm trying to get him to do, and consistently takes a few steps backwards, I begin to add the words "back, back, back" as I continue cueing him with my body language to step back.
The result is, my horse learns to make a connection between my words and my action, and he learns to trust both. Does my horse need words? Nope, he only needs action (my body language) to understand what I am asking of him. I am the one who likes the use of words. When it comes to training horses, the only time there is a problem with using words is when there is a complete disconnect between what we say and what we do!
Horses don't need words in order to train them.
But if you're going to use words, the horse must
be able to make a straight connection between your
words and your actions with no disconnect. In other
words, you must be black and white, with no shades
of gray.
Alright, now let's tighten up our cinch and head towards home. Have you ever heard someone say one thing, but do something else? Of course you have. The truth is, saying one thing and doing something else has become a way of life for some folks, but it's not what God wants for you and me. So, what does God want from you and me? He wants you and me to say what we mean, and do exactly what we say. What else does God want? He wants you and me to be cold or hot in our deeds (actions), but never, ever, lukewarm. And that, my friend, is how we will always keep it black and white!
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