You are not supposed to… “look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Why not?
Say you are in need of a horse, “I need a horse.”
And someone comes along and gives you a “gift horse.”
But then… you walk up and look him, the horse, not the dude, in the mouth.
Why would you do that?
Because you want to ascertain the value of this particular animal by evaluating how old he is by checking on his teeth.
Never mind someone just bailed you out of a jam.
Beggars can’t be choosy.
Great! You have now just insulted the gentleman who has gifted you this gift horse.
Now… that’s the most often used analysis of what that saying, “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” means.
But… I want you to look at it with me from the perspective of WHO THE DUDE WAS who gifted you that gift horse.
If it would have been a close friend you would have just said, “Thanks man!” And rode off into the sunset.
For example, in high school, I was between vehicles, and had a date coming up, I asked a buddy if I could borrow his car, he said, “Sure.” And tossed me his keys. And down the road I went!
He was… and still is… a good dude!
But what if he wasn’t?
Did you know that most of the rules for selling cars today… come from the running of horse auctions in those thrilling days of yesteryear?
And how many “good dude used car salesmen” do you know about?
Not many.
How do I know that?
I was one… and ran cars through auctions for the largest car wholesaler in the state for a few years… so I seen all types of used car guys!
It was hard being an honest car guy… people are just jaded by the industry and thought I was trying to rip them off no matter how hard I tried to present a different experience.
Now… back to the dude with the horse.
Maybe it’s not a friend who helps you out.
Heck, maybe it’s not even a friend of a friend who knows your second cousin.
A real stranger.
Now… would it be so bad to check that horses teeth?
What if you were plowing a field; running a race; or needed to do a weeks worth of hard ranching?
A fifty year old horse might not be your best bet… but you wouldn’t know because you just believed this dude who showed up with this random horse for you, and being the polite person that you are you just said, “Thank you.”
So… with all that… I’d like to turn your attention to the upcoming Christmas holiday, the celebrating of the birth of our savior, Jesus, son of Joseph and Mary of Nazareth.
Where, hopefully, we will give and receive our own gifts to those we love. (still haven’t got a pony)
How do you look on the gift giving and receiving?
I feel like it’s kinda hard. (That’s why my wife does all the shopping, otherwise everyone would get a book, a pair of warm socks and a socket set)
And what about those gifts you might get at work?
From almost complete strangers.
I imagine we all look at those like we would a gift horse… I currently do not have the space for a horse, as much as I would love to own one, and I really don’t have the space for some random knick knack… or God forbid another coffee mug!
So… is it really the thought that counts, and the effort put forth, whether that effort seems great or small to us… we kinda have to go out of our way to get somebody… something, anything, as a gift.
Now… all of that… leads me to this question, “If LIFE is a GIFT from God, and we don’t really know God, HOW are we going to treat our life… and the life of others?”
In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul explains in chapter 17… 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.
Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.“
Is He really, “the God who made the world and everything in it…”
Is He really, “the Lord of heaven and earth…”
Is He really, “he himself (who) gives everyone life and breath and everything else…”
Or is he just another slick used car salesman that we don’t know from Adam? Saying, “No, no, take it for a spin, he was only ridden to church on Sundays by a little old lady just up the road, very low miles, very well behaved, look at that pony shine!”
But we don’t know because we never looked into it that close… I love horses but I couldn’t tell ya even if a horse has any teeth missin’ I don’t know how many teeth a horse has… cars are different… I’ve seen and touched thousands of cars, and have seen hundreds of car salesmen, the best I can tell ya there is, “Buyer beware.”
I have to admit I thought God had given me a pretty crappy gift… if THIS is all LIFE has to offer.
But I’ve learned that my past OUTLOOK on life really didn’t “take into account” God being in it at all. Or believing WHO He really is.
When we finally add HIM into the mix we get a very different picture of what LIFE as a gift, can mean.
How close are you to the God of the Bible? Do you say you believe in Him but never read what he wrote?
Remember… Jesus isn’t a religion He’s a relationship.
How well do you know Him?
How well do your kids know you?
What are you expecting as a gift for Christmas this year… socks and a socket set? A horse?
What gifts are you giving this year? How much time did you invest for a friend; a child; a spouse; a significant other???
As The Emerging Man I like to ask in my articles that we “Stop and Think” for a moment… and today is no different.
Step back… take a look at your life… take a look at your relationship with the God who built the universe… take a look at how you are relating to your family and friends…
Are you ENCOURAGING EQUIPPING and ENGAGING with them, with HIM??
During this holiday season enjoy the gifts, but don’t disregard the giver, even if it’s your son-in-law or especially THE GIVER OF LIFE HIMSELF!
The Emerging Man… writing to ENCOURAGE EQUIP and ENGAGE!
And offering “Positivity with Work Gloves!”
theemergingman.com 