As this post goes out, Diane and I are in Israel, that incredible land that God and much of the world calls “holy”. Practically since we touched down about a week ago, our minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits have been working overtime. Sometimes it’s all we can do just to keep up with all we’re being exposed to – and to process what all that means in the context of the world we’re living in now. So our treasured friend, brother in Christ, and gifted writer, J.D. Wininger, has kindly offered to step in and be our guest for this week. We trust you’ll love this characteristically down-to-earth example of God revealing His truth in the context of our daily lives.

Please join Diane and me in praying for God’s special provision for J.D. and his family, and we’d be grateful if you would also pray for God’s provision, protection, and direct involvement in all that lies ahead for us on this challenging and rewarding pilgrimage.  Lord willing, we’ll be back with you again in a couple of weeks.

Ron ~

 ~ A Fellowship of Faith ~

“so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:5, NKJV)

Unless a bull gets agitated and about to charge, you seldom see them pawing or stomping at the ground with their front hooves. I can think of only a handful of times I’ve seen a mama cow do that. On this morning, I watched as “Aunt Louise” (affectionately known as “Weezy”) was doing exactly that near the pond. Calving season has begun at the Cross-Dubya and God has blessed us with “bonus calves” (twins) and other healthy babies.

Warranting an investigation, my ranch foreman, Mr. John, went to look. Coming back to the house, he smiled sideways and reported, “She got ‘er one.” We laughed and commented on how they were indeed running this time of year. What’s “they”? Snakes, of course, particularly the venomous kind like cottonmouths, otherwise known as water moccasins, that live near ponds, ditches, and creeks. An aggressive snake, I’ve seen these rascals fight, bite, and try to kill each other. While our adult cows are mostly immune, new calves and for that matte, Bubba, the chocolate lab, often cannot fight off the effects of their potent venom.

Mr. John and I went out to confirm the snake’s identity. Its distinctive markings immediately told me it was a cottonmouth. When he picked it up to toss its remains into the pond (food for the turtles), we both chuckled. Every time we’ve found a dead snake, the cattle have gotten ahold of, it’s in the same condition. The cows smashed its head clean off! A cow will paw and strike a snake’s head because they instinctively know this is the dangerous part. And they don’t stop stomping the enemy’s head until they’re certain they’ve eliminated the threat. This often means the head is ground into dust.

Late afternoon, after another calving, I watched as “Lulu Belle”, the latest to calve, lay with all the new calves around her. She alone was on nursery duty while the others were 200 yards away, munching on the lush spring grasses. The trust our herd shares with one another is inspiring.

I’ve shared with you many times about how the herd mentality of my cattle gives me wonderful spiritual insights. Thinking about the day’s events, God shared another. The herd God has blessed me with caring for is an example of the fellowship we humans are supposed to share with one another. I began thinking about how we, too, should model some of our behaviors after cattle.

One way is that we stick up for one another, we should strive to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) among our herd (er, congregation/family). I can’t tell you the number of times two cows have fought over the same patch of grass or bite of hay. They’ll start by bulling each other (butting heads), then progress to chasing one another across the pasture and running into each other full speed. Invariably, one of my older cows (“Aunt Louise”, “Aunt Yolanda”, or “Uno”) will get between them and voice her disapproval. When that doesn’t work, they’ll resort to physically separating the two. Pretty soon, they restore peace in the pasture. Isn’t this something we should be doing in our own church and family? Shouldn’t our leaders seek to heal division rather than letting it fester and further divide the herd?

Another example is Threat Reduction (Psalm 27:2). Killing the venomous snake is an example of that. It’s amazing to see how a cow can differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes. I’ve seen them grazing beside a large chicken or corn snake, yet run to stomp a copperhead. When it’s nap time, the herd places the most vulnerable in the middle and forms a perimeter around them, to ensure no predator can go undetected from any direction. For this reason, God made sheepdogs, those who serve Him by protecting His flock from those who would do it harm. This could be your church’s security team, but it should also be your elders, deacons, or other mature Christians. They must always be on guard against false teaching and other non-physical threats that can cause harm.

There are socialization lessons, too (Hebrews 10:25). When I introduce a new cow to the herd, they’re often held at a distance from the herd. They’ll push the new cow away from feeders and allow it to only take up the furthest position from the herd at nap time. It sometimes takes a while, but one of the older cows will befriend the new one. When the rest of the herd sees that, acceptance soon follows. Yet, when a calf becomes the newest member of the herd, they are instantly accepted. Cows always accept their own.

In many ways, my herd’s fellowship is an example of how we humans might seek to better interact with one another. In families of all sorts (immediate, extended, and church), there are lessons we can apply in every opportunity for fellowship. Some I’ve learned from my cattle through the years, where I’ve seen Scripture come alive in their examples, include:

• • • Try your best to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:18)
    • Know your enemy (John 10:10)
    • Protect the herd (Acts 20:28)
    • Seek fellowship with one another (Romans 15:5-7)

The benefits of fellowship are far-reaching. It can take many forms, but there are two that stand paramount in my life. They are the encouragement I gain from those around me and the comfort I have in knowing I’m not alone in any situation. I pray my silly old cows have given you some ideas on how you can improve the richness of your fellowship in the coming weeks.

God’s blessings,
J.D. Wininger

A Personal Note from Ron and Diane . . . 

For Diane and me, J.D. Wininger is more than an award-winning writer and speaker who teaches compelling lessons about faith and writes heartfelt devotionals and books to glorify God. He’s also our friend, a trusted brother in Christ, and a continual source of encouragement and inspiration. J.D. has written for national magazines, CBN.com, Lighthouse Bible Studies, and contributed to several books. We strongly encourage each of you to consider checking out his unique style and his gift of making profound spiritual concepts come to life in ways that are compelling and easily recognizable.

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