Horses are obstinate. I speak from much expereince. you see, I rode them for many years when I was younger. We learned to ride, saddle, bathe, and generally take care of them. One of the most difficult things I learned to do was cleaning the mud and dirt out of their hooves. Here's how i learned to do it. You placed your shoulder under the front shoulder of the horse, which him to shift weight off the hoof. Then as you straddled his leg, you lifted his hoof off the ground which exposed the bottom of his hoof. You then used a hoof pick. You gently cleaned his hoof, Then repeated this with every hoof each time you rode. Only it wasn't as easy as that. Inevitably, the horse had another plan rather than having his hooves cleaned. He would much rather eat, rest, run the pasture, and a host of other things. Besides that, he can push his 1000 pounds of weight on a 120 pound teenager. It was a wrestling match. I was knocked down, stepped on, bitten, kicked, and spit on. Yeah, you can lead a horse to water, but you sure can't make him drink. Why? Horses are obstinate.
But that never happened with Dan. We called him Dan the man. He took control and finessed that horse to raise his hoof and allow his hoof to be cleaned with no problem. What took me an hour to do, he did in about 5 minutes. He was, after all, Dan the man. What was the difference? He had developed a skill that made it look easy, even when dealing with an obstinate horse. While I'm not saying that all men are obstinate, I am saying that there are skills to learn to deal when dealing with them. There are skills that can help you teach them to improve your relationship and your family. it can help with dealing with men at your place of work and at school and really with nearly anyone...even obstinate people. You see when you want a horse to drink some water, you can't make him...but you sure can salt his oats. That's where the skill comes in.
The Bible teaches us to salt our speech. You can find these words in the letter to the church in Colosse:
Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. (Colossians 4:6, HCSB)
We are given the exhortation to craft our words so they are seasoned and gracious. That is how we can make teachable moments with those we love. How does that work? Just like salting the oats of a horse can him drink water, as obstinate as they are. Salting our speech can also develop a thirst in the person who needs to be influenced so that they can learn to do the right thing as well.
The bushmen in the Kalahari desert have an ingenious way of finding water. It involves salt and baboons. Here's a video that explains it much better than I ever could.
That is the way we want people to,respond to us...not with accusation and force, but with finesse and ingenuity. That's what salting is all about. If you would like to know how you can influence others for their best, here is a worksheet you can download and use that I adapted from Gary Smalley's book Hidden Keys to a Loving Lasting Marriage.
Keep the salt handy! Pastor Trey Rhodes
Pastor Ivey's Final Sunday at Oceanside Church - Pastor Ivey will be preaching, we will have a special video presentation, and a commisioning service. Also plan to give to his scholarship fund which will go to his Southeastern Seminary tuition.
Dinner on the Grounds Honoring Pastor Ivey and Allie - Bring a side and/or dessert. We'll do the rest. Let's send Pastor ivey and his family off with a great time of fellowship and encouragement.
We need YOUR help with the NEW OC Website - It's the same address, www.MyOceansideChurch.com, but we need you all to search for it multiple times on Google so we can get the count up and move up to the first page like we used to be. THANK YOU!!
New Sermon Series The Cross Was Enough begins Sunday, March 10. The Cross has such power that it is enough to save ALL that come. Plan to attend every exciting service at Oceanside Church.
Palm Sunday Candlelight Service - We will partake of the Lord's Supper together as we remember Jesus' final supper with His disciples. Sunday Night, March 24th, 2013, 7 p.m.
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