Last June I complained about the wild horses that walked up and down my street leaving a visible and disgusting trail of where they'd been. They treated our neighborhood like it was their backyard, but in fact it is. May I remind you WE moved into their territory. At times it looked like a dozen horses "dropped" by and it was a challenge to navigate around the "mounds" that seemed to appear overnight. Relief came when our wild visitors disappeared into the hills for a while, but now they're back and once again dropping "evidence" of their presence. This time, however, I've been looking at them differently. Yes, they are adorning portions of our neighborhood in their customary way, but somehow I'm not quite as bothered as I was last summer. Current situations have caused me to consider how they might enrich my life. No, I'm not talking about collecting dung for my garden. (More on that later.)
Have you looked at gas prices lately? They are outrageous! A couple of months ago I was visiting my family in Florida and paying $2.89 a gallon for gas. Returning to Reno I stayed close to home due to the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus and only filled up a couple of times. Last week I went to Truckee and was absolutely traumatized by the gas prices. Did you know the price of gas at the Shell station on Donner Pass Road is $6.49 for regular? Supreme is higher! What happened? That's more than double what I spent only a couple of months ago. I'm reeling from the shock. What's next? Would buying a house today cost twice as much as it would have last year? Oh, wait, that's already happened. I'm living a nightmare. How does one cope with changing times? Self-help books suggest to boldly approach challenges with reason and logic. This may require one to be creative and as they say, "think outside the box." Unorthodox rationalization may seem absurd, but when faced with difficult situations we must state "drastic times call for drastic measures!"
Let's analyze this. Gas prices strain my budget yet I still need to get around town. My Ford F-150 is invaluable for moving or pulling a trailer, but on a daily basis I need something that uses less gas. What kind of vehicle would I need to run errands back and forth to the store? I don't need a luxury car like a Ferrari, or a fast car like a Porsche or one with a lot of power like a Dodge Charger or Ford Mustang. I only need one that's reliable, inexpensive and relatively easy to maintain. A Ford Mustang with 350 horsepower is overkill for the kind of driving I usually do. Just how much horsepower would I need to get around town? Answer: a whole lot less.
Now back to the horses that roam our streets. As I look at the stately creatures that parade down my street, I see the answer to rising gas prices. Here is a reliable inexpensive mode of transportation that's mine for the taking. I don't need a Ford Mustang. Here is a mustang that won't break my budget. When one gets old, I just walk down the street and get another one. There's an endless supply of them and all the fuel to maintain one is free. There are plenty of yards in the neighborhood and the Truckee River is two blocks from my house. Some of you are thinking that this unorthodox rationalization is absurd but I already told you, "Drastic times call for drastic measures!" What do you think of my solution?
How would you respond? Would you laugh or give a short answer, a long answer or no answer? You may want to say, "Your solution is ridiculous and you're right, it is absurd." But before you say it, be mindful that dealing with people requires skill, sensitivity, insight and ethical principles that guide your interaction with them. What's absurd to you may be serious to them. It's best to reflect before you react. John Wesley simplified the Methodist principles with these Three Simple Rules, "Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God." It's simple, succinct and easy to remember. Micah 6:8 is more specific about what God expects. "You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God." (GW - God's Word translation) Another translation says, "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (NRSV) You will encounter people and face situations that are complicated. Before you respond, consider God's expectations. Our responsibility is "to work for fairness and equality for all, particularly the weak and the powerless who are exploited by others. . . Kindness has to do with love, loyalty and faithfulness. . . We are to walk with God, careful to put God first and to live in conformity with God's will. (NIB vol. VII p. 580) Therefore, examine your motives, be just, kind, merciful and above all, stay in love with God!