March 12, 2025
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The announcer called Savanna’s name as she exploded out of the chute atop a fast and feisty sheep. Holding on tight, she lasted almost five seconds before falling off. She was competing in the kids’ mutton bustin’ competition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Savanna is our granddaughter and, at the time, was five years old.
I like the wide variety of adult rodeo events – bronc riding, bull riding, team roping, barrel racing and the calf scramble. But one of my absolute favorites is mutton bustin’.
Mutton bustin’ is an event similar to bronc riding, in which five and six-year-old children attempt to hang on to a sprinting sheep for as long as they can. The goal is very simple – don’t fall off.
It takes courage for a five-year-old to get on a sheep. They’re fast and the lanolin in their coats makes them especially slippery and hard to hold onto. And they don’t particularly care for kids riding on their backs!
I love listening to five and six-year-olds being interviewed after their rides: What did you eat for breakfast? “Waffles.” How did you practice? “I rode my dog.” What’s your secret? “Well, you know I’ve been doing this for twenty years!”
What exactly is courage? John Wayne said, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
How do we become courageous? Maybe some of us are just born with it? It seems natural. Most of us have to develop it over time. It’s learned. We display it in response to circumstances and events as they happen. It doesn’t have to be a terrible tragedy. It could be anything – jumping off the high dive, swinging a bat, a new school, a new job, preparing for battle, saying “I do.” These and many other things take courage and the willingness to move forward into an uncertain outcome and an unknown future.
How do we develop courage? What is its source? Who do we trust? Who do we put our faith in?
In the Bible, the Lord says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9, NIV
Kids are awarded ribbons and a beautiful championship buckle goes to the overall winner. But the real reward of mutton bustin’ isn’t just a ribbon or a buckle – it’s the confidence and boldness that come from stepping out in faith, just as God calls us to do in every area of life. Whether we face a sprinting sheep or a new challenge, we can move forward knowing that the Lord is with us wherever we go.
Throughout Scripture, we see that courage isn’t about being fearless – it’s about trusting in God more than we fear the unknown. David stood before Goliath not because he wasn’t afraid, but because he knew God would fight for him. Peter stepped out of the boat because he knew Jesus was calling him. Likewise, we are called to move forward in faith, trusting that Christ holds our future.
As Homer said, “I know not what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.” And He is the foundation of true courage.
REMEMBER & BELIEVE
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
In the meantime, be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with you!
QUESTIONS
When have you stepped forward in faith despite uncertainty? How has trusting in God given you courage in your own life? What fear do you need to surrender to Him today?
PRAYER
Lord, You call us to be strong and courageous, not because of our own strength, but because You are with us. Help us to trust in You when we face challenges, big or small. May we step forward in faith, knowing that You hold our future in Your hands.
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil and the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)
God bless you!
Richard
Christ Worshipper | Disciple Maker | Hope Giver
Welcome to In the Meantime. I'm glad you're here! We are living in the time between Christ's ascension into heaven and His promised return to earth. In the Meantime is a collection of stories about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His presence, love, mercy and grace in my life. In the Meantime, Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
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