Daughter’s Parable

There’s nothing the cowboy loved and appreciated more than his horse. He had to rely on it to take care of him his whole life.

But, how did he obtain it?

He picked it out from the herd.  He chased it, lassoed it with a rope,  then forced it against its will into a fenced corral.  He fed it, watered it, and curried it to calm its fears.

At sun-up, he slipped a bridle into its mouth, then cautiously strapped on a saddle. He mounted it, tugged on the reins to turn the stallion, and kicked it lightly with his spurs to go forward.

It reacted quickly, violently bucking the cowboy into the dusty dirt.  He jumped on it again, determined to break its will, and tame it.  The cowboy’s hands and back strained painfully, even unto blood,  just like the horse’s mouth bled from the pressure of the cold, steel bridle on its tongue.   The fight continued for what seemed like a lifetime, but was actually just a few minutes.  Finally,  the horse gave in to the master’s wishes.

They rode and walked around the corral for a few more hours, fellowshipping, and earning each other’s trust.  Eventually, the cowboy patted the horse’s neck,  and he began to relax and enjoy it.

He gave it a big bag of oats, combed it, and then put it in the barn for the night. He wanted it to be healthy and rested in the morning.

Every morning he provides for it, and every night he locks it in the stable. He wouldn’t dare turn it loose on the prairie, unprotected from the mountain lions, wolves, bears, and snow.

Why does he do this?

Because he cares. Together, they can conquer the world!

The interpretation

 Here is the interpretation.

A father and mother prayed to have a beautiful young girl.

The Lord blessed them.  They brought her home and kept her in her crib.  They caressed her, provided her warmth and shelter, and fed her tenderly.

One day she grew up.  She wanted her freedom to run the range,  thinking she could do anything.

“No one can tell me what to do!  I can do anything I want to!  I have rights!  I’m Somebody!  I’m   free!”  she proclaimed.

Dad and Mom chased after her, picked her out from the herd, lassoed her,  then forced her against her will into the house.

At sun-up, they slipped a bridle into her mouth, so to speak, by telling her the rules she must live by, then cautiously strapped a saddle of the law on her back. They mounted the young rebel by exercising their God-given responsibility, tugged on her reins with today’s instructions—to turn her into the way of righteousness—and kicked her lightly with the spurs of their commands, to raise her up as a child which God would be proud of.

She reacted quickly, violently bucking them into the dusty dirt of contention. They jumped on her again—quoting  scripture—determined to break her will, and tame her. Their heart and resolve strained painfully, even unto blood when they bit their lips in despair,  just like her mouth bled from the pressure of the cold, steel bridle of the Bible on her tongue.   The fight continued for what seemed like a lifetime, but actually lasted just a few years.  Finally,  she gave in to her parent’s wishes.

They rode and walked around the corral of restrictions for a few more years, fellowshipping, and earning each other’s trust. Continually, they smiled at her, and eventually she began to relax and enjoy it.

They gave her a big bag of the oats of nurture, curried her with limits, and then put her in the house for the night. They wanted her to be healthy and rested in the morning.

Every morning they provided for her, and every night they locked her in a stable home. They wouldn’t dare turn her loose on the prairie, unprotected from the mountain lions, wolves, bears, and snow.

Why did they do this?

Because they care!  Together, they can conquer the world!