will be going down one of our gravel roads,
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It happens to me all the time. I will be going down one of our gravel roads, and just off to the side of the road will be an antelope. It didn’t take me long to figure out that they often don’t think very well. You can try to go slowly around them, and they fuzz up and come right toward you. They will get ahead of you and try every fence only to give up and come running back to you at top speed. I have finally learned my lesson to just stop and give them a minute to get their act together. We actually build antelope time into our schedule.
Some time ago, three buck antelope were going right down the center of the gravel road. Knowing what I know, I stopped to let them get life figured out. They tried fence after fence with two of them finally doing the limbo and getting under that bottom wire. The third who was somewhat larger than the others got hung up a bit and was struggling. I didn’t move a muscle or utter a sound as he was very near the car. Then something happened that I had never witnessed before, one of the others came back and came almost nose to nose with him as if to encourage him to get out of that fence. The struggle lasted a few more moments, antelope vs. fence, and finally he was able to get his horns untangled to join the others.
I wonder how many times in my life I have been “hung up” and someone has come along side, nose to nose if you will to encourage me. Whether it is just the day to day adventures of life, raising kids, being married or single, dealing with death or life that has gotten us down, we all need encouragement.
It was so easy to cheer our kids on as they stood on wobbly legs and took those first steps. How about cheering on those who are taking their wobbly first steps into college, marriage, parenthood, and even the golden years.
Encouragement can look like a text, a casserole, a phone call or an unexpected visit. It can be wrapped in a hug with no words uttered. Take a step, just do it.
I Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
