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Guest Commentary The “classroom” was the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse outdoor arena in Cleburne. The “desks” were paint-chipped, steel bleachers that encircled the arena. The “students” were teens and toddlers, moms and dads, grandparents and just curious bystanders hungry for a good word. The good word was the lesson.
Professional horse trainer Lew Sterrett was the “teaching assistant” or could also be called the “pastor of the pasture.” He delivered the good word using live visual aids simply called horses. If you’ve heard the saying “hungry as a horse,” we learn not that horses eat a lot, but that horses only eat when they are hungry. Horses are spiritual animals that often mirror humans, but horses are much more intuitive creatures. We as humans can learn a lot from them. “You don’t eat because you’re hungry. You eat because it’s fun. Look at ya, it’s disgusting. Eating isn’t the enemy. It’s when we take something of God and take it out of context, out of balance [such as overeating]. Then, it becomes a problem.” Those were the words of Lew Sterrett at his “Sermon on the Mount” message in Cleburne on Oct. 30. The church service at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse outdoor arena was sponsored by Shepherd’s Valley Cowboy Church of Egan. Lew Sterrett and his crew use horses to teach biblical principles and demonstrate loving, successful horse and trainer interaction. From untrained and distrusting to confident seasoned winners, Lew Sterrett travels the country working with horses through the various stages in his “Sermon on the Mount.” The “students,” or audience, witnessed the horses transform from distrust to trust, from stiff and resistant to supple and willing. As one young colt fearfully approached a strange piece of plywood on the ground, the trainer patiently guided the colt to walk on the board, only after the colt began to trust his trainer. An older horse overcame his fear and walked through a vinyl covering after his faith in his trainer became stronger. According to Sterrett, horses make changes in their thinking that parallel the changes and decisions we as humans make in our lives. The language of the horse is similar to the language of the human. Of course, any cowboy or cowgirl could tell you that. Like all humans with free will, Lew explained how the horse understands what the trainer is communicating. The horse then makes the decision whether to follow the trainer’s guidance or not. In much the same way, we as people make the decision to follow God’s way or not, even when it comes to eating, or overeating. The horse serves as sort of a spiritual channel that encourages and strengthens the audience. Sterrett and his crew teach biblical relationship principles illustrated in a clear, simple and powerful manner through the spirit of the horse. By the end of our “class,” I learned that the horses were more than just live visual aids. I learned that horses make great teachers, too. We as humans are the students of a higher power. We can move from distrust to trust. We can learn to trust our own bodies when we experience a hunger pain, or when our stomach “growls.” At the same time, we can trust and respect our bodies when our stomach screams, “I’m full. You can stop now!” We can learn to eat only when we are hungry, like the horse. We can learn to let go and trust God. When we accept that God is our ultimate teacher, our personal human trainer; when we do our homework by reading the good word; when we allow ourselves to move the word through our daily life; when we listen and learn; when we let go and trust; when we overcome fear; then, and only then, have we been transformed from fear to faith. Read the good word. Listen to the word. Observe the horse. Feel your fear and let it go. Trust in God or your higher power. Fill yourself with the good word. And only when you’re hungry (like a horse), fill your bellies with good food. Until next time, be well. “Eat only what you need. Do not eat in excess.” — Proverbs 23:13 Readers are welcome to contact the Apple Lady at amy@themcguirecompany.com or visit her Web site at www.amytheapplelady.com |
