Preacher and The Bear

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).

One beautiful, early fall day, a friend and I rode our horses up the west fork of the Boulder River in Montana. This was an annual event for us, to ride as far as possible in one day, observe the turning colors of the quaking aspen, smell the cool of pristine nature and still return before dark. We always dressed in the nature of a true cowboy, from top to bottom. My friend especially, having a desk job, prefers to use this as an occasion for charging his mental batteries. I, on the other hand, am dressed reasonably cowhand, not quite as picturesque you might say, but practical. I wear a silver belly hat, a great pair of handmade boots and my spurs. Knowing the nature of the back country – that what might be perceived as beautiful in one moment might just turn to be life threatening in the very next – I also pack a loaded 44 magnum!

It was late in the day and both our horses, wet from perspiration, were glad to get turned back towards the trail-head. Each of them knew that a bucket of oats awaited them at the trailer and we, of course, looked forward to an ice cold beer. As I rode, myself now being in the lead, we went down into a slight depression in the trail and in so doing I noticed something moving quickly through the clearing ahead. Having been at this low point, all that could be seen was the top of an animal’s back. My mind immediately swung into high gear, with the impulse of a high alert deputy. I put the spurs to my horse’s flank, pulled the strap loose from my scabbard and turned my head just enough to say to my riding partner, “Bear!” As we looped through the depression and into the clearing ahead we reined our horses to a quick stop, and there, at the edge of the tree line was the back side of a large bear.

In an instant, he heard us and forever planted in the theatre of my mind will be the picture that followed. In a microsecond he wheeled to see who or what had encroached on his space and I knew, as quickly as he turned, that had it not been for the threatening size of our horses we were as good as dead. This was a grizzly bear. It was large and he was stunningly gorgeous. With the roundness of his face and the little ears, the grizzled hair and, once again, his size I knew from earlier study the probable length of his teeth and claws. With his speed capabilities he could have closed our distance in a heartbeat, but fortunately for us, he chose not to. The grizzly turned assertively and walked into the woods.

You may have already guessed it – the bear is a subject I just love to talk about. My curiosity about them began a long time ago when I discovered a book about bears and their attacks on humans. Being an outdoorsman, I picked it up and not only read it, but have purchased others like it since. I have subscribed to magazines about bears, clip articles out of the newspapers reporting bear incidents and devour anything and everything I can to gain a better understanding of these creatures. I have discovered that although they have poor vision they inhabit an incredible sense of smell, they may appear rather fat and dumpy but they are lightening fast and they are both predator and prey. Follow a bear through the woods one time and be careful to look over your shoulder often, see which of you is really being followed. What attracts me most about bears, however, might not be what you would suspect. I am intrigued by certain characteristics that parallel the activity given to Christian men and women and we should be wise to learn from them. Although there are a good number of these similarities, I have chosen only one to illustrate.

Here in North America there are in existence two types of bears, the grizzly bear and the black bear, (the black bear is a species, not a color; some blacks are actually brown). There are a number of things that set these two animals apart, but the one that affects both humans and bears the most is the fact that the grizzly, on the one hand, is unable to adapt itself to changing surroundings. Consequently, the invasion of people to the high country of several of our northwestern states has taken its toll on this bear. Every year people are mauled and the stories often end with the bear being disposed of. Despite the protection given this beautiful creature by activists, it simply cannot exist with humans. Eventually, so say some experts, humans will win out. Time alone will tell. The black bear, on the other hand, has adapted and studies show that in fact this furry ball of strength and curiosity will change to exist. If humans invade his territory, he can move and if one type of vegetation is unavailable, he will change his diet. He can be nocturnal or hunt during the day, just so it works. Not only has this helped the black bear to exist, he has actually thrived. Studies show not only steady black bear reproduction, but also increased numbers in many areas. The grizzly bear, however, suffers the inability to co-exist. Without them being on the endangered species list their numbers would decline.

In the prayer Jesus made to his Father shortly before his betrayal it was made perfectly clear that his wish was not that his followers be taken out of the world, but that they co-exist with those who do not believe in him (John17:15). He promised not only the strength and power of his name, but also the indwelling presence of the person of the Holy Spirit. In other words, it takes a Divine D.N.A. characteristic to tolerate ideologies that are foreign to our belief system. God has never asked of us something, however, where he is incapable of our sponsorship. He longs to inhabit our very beings to bring about change and he wants to do this in a one-on-one, non-confrontational lifestyle. Like the black bear, co-existence for Christians with the non-Christian world will often lead to followers.

I am a bear enthusiast, but in an odd juxtaposition, I am also a preacher; no, perhaps not the type of preacher you would expect – a man in a suit behind a pulpit. I believe that is a high calling, but it comes with restrictions too. Typical preachers are often unwelcome in many places where the message needs to be proclaimed. In either case, Jesus put it this way: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). That statement, if heeded, has life-changing effects. He said a number of similar things during his life here on earth that welcome each of us to his side and offer safety, comfort and encouragement. As we come into relationship with the person of Jesus Christ, however, we become “the light in the Lord,” and with that light comes the responsibility of letting it shine to a lost world.