“If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” John 15:18-19
Meet Bullwinkle… cuz that’s what the locals call him! He was hanging out near my cabin, at morning and dusk, in the same field he usually does. His daily life is like a routine. We saw him in the same field last year, the only difference was, there were several OTHER big bull (male) elk in the same field he occupied. They were further away… but they were there. This year, Bullwinkle was all alone.
One doesn’t have to look close at the picture to see that Bullwinkle is not your typical Bull Elk. See his antlers? Note that they do not stand up, but rather stretch out to the side. Did you notice that the 2 sides of his antlers do not match? That observation is the same one the cow (female) elk notice as well. What crowns his head turns them off and… he gives off no threat to other bulls.
Pondering these facts, alone myself one morning, I watched him graze and thought about the ‘why’ of his existence. Bullwinkle is a loner! And he’s a loner because of what crown’s the top of his head! At the basics of nature, the Elk world isn’t really all that different from man’s. ‘Sex appeal’ and ‘machismo’ are at the top of a social order where Bullwinkle doesn’t even rank! “So sad,” you say?
Today’s verse might give a clue as to why I don’t always fit in with the crowd. The words came out of Jesus’ mouth, so they are true. His words come with both a warning and a responsibility. Putting Jesus at the ‘Top’ of my life is going to affect my social popularity! But I am required to remember that Jesus has ‘chosen me’ to be on His Team, which is NOT the most popular one, BECAUSE of Him!
Walking and grazing with Jesus is MORE than O.K. with me. Is it O.K. with you? If so, like Bullwinkle, you can expect to be called out, isolated at times and even given special instructions (or missions) for The Master!
