They call him cowboy, and it’s a title he wears with pride. For to be called a cowboy is an honor not everyone can hold. The real cowboys aren’t the ones on some screen in a big cable TV show, they’re out there making a living with their hands and a rope. The dictionary defines a cowboy as one who tends to cattle or is reckless from time to time, however that definition is pretty vague for my mind. See to be a cowboy its not about the horseflesh you ride, or the way you handle a twine, but it’s a lot about your character and the person you are on the inside. There are cowboys everywhere throughout this big vast land, and though you might not believe it, they don’t all wear big-brimmed hats and win the gold buckle at the rodeo.

Being called a cowboy is often a term of endearment. It’s a term that many are proud of. From time to time it can mean that a person will get the job done no matter how difficult the task may be. The can’t quit, won’t quit attitude that can be bullheaded and stubborn, but shows a person’s drive and determination. A cowboy often has the attitude that they will not quit until the job is done, rather than when the clock says that it’s time to go home for the day.

A cowboy is known more for his morals and character than he is anything else. He is as good as his handshake, and his handshake is his bond. He answers to few people, but always does something that he has said he will do. The cowboy is the one who will change the tire on a stranger’s car in the pouring down rain and expect nothing for it. He’s the one who will get called at 3 in the morning to help a neighbor in need. He does it not for fame or fortune, but because it’s the right thing to do. His character is molded by hardship and struggle. He is hardened by tragedy in his life but knows that he was put on this earth for a plan bigger than his own. A cowboy will get knocked down day after day, and get back up begging for more. It’s the fighting spirit in the cowboy that makes him a legend in the eyes of his peers.

Most cowboys that I know are strong men and women. They can pull calves, break ice, fix equipment, and stare the orneriest of bovine in the face and not blink an eye. Those same men and women have the biggest most tender and caring hearts of anyone that you will ever meet in your life. They take the time to teach children right from wrong and will give a hug or a warm meal to someone who has fallen on hard times. They step up when they are called. Cowboys know that if they don’t answer the call for help, it may not get answered. The thing almost all cowboys have in common is a deep love for the things they care about. They care about their Creator who blessed them with the life they get to lead, their families that are there to support them in every aspect of their lives, and they love the country they live in and have been trusted to take care of.

The next time you are out and about you might look for some of these cowboys. They are out there. You might not spot them right away, but if you shake their hand and they look you in the eyes with honesty and trust you’ll know you have met one. You can bet that there are cowboys all over this great world, and right now some of them in Ukraine are fighting for what they care about and love. That’s all for this time, say a prayer for peace, and try to live more like a cowboy. God bless and keep tabs on your side of the barbed wire.