It would sure help if you’ve seen Lonesome Dove. I joke about Lonesome Dove all the time, telling people that they’re not ’rounded out’ spiritually until they’ve seen it several times. But, seriously, it’s a great movie. Larry McMurtry’s a great writer any way you look at it. But, even hardcore Lonesome Dove fans may not know there are actually four books in the Lonesome Dove series. The first, Dead Man’s Walk (1996), chronicles the lives of the young Texas Rangers, Augustus McRae and Woodrow Call. Comanche Moon (1998)  covers the ranger’s middle aged years. Lonesome Dove (1985), the later…almost over the hill years. And Streets of Laredo (2000), the sequel and last in the series. I highly recommend them all if you liked Lonesome Dove. Interestingly enough….I’ve read those…. but never actually read Lonesome Dove. (I have, however, watched it 9 times!)

I recently wrote “The Parable of Pedro Flores”. *(Click on link to read) It’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie. But there’s another little part of the scene that I was reminded of that just kinda ‘tops it off’. The person who reminded me is a good friend and a ‘lawman’ cut from much the same cloth as Gus and Woodrow. (You know who you are, DM) But, the culmination of that whole scene happened when Gus & Woodrow stole the herd of horses back from Mexican bandito, Pedro Flores, in the middle of the night. Flores was as surprised as he could possibly be at all the commotion taking place when there in the darkness Gus appeared horseback and the two made unmistakable eye contact. It was then in the midst of the chaos that Gus, not fifteen feet away from Flores, tipped his hat in true Texas fashion, …..and in doing so implied to Pedro….“Got you again!!”  And, as good as Pedro Flores was at stealing and pilfering…..the Rangers were better!

Again, I see parallels with our spiritual life. Our adversary, the devil, is a formidable foe, indeed. But armed and equipped as you are he’s just no match for you. We’ve been given ‘authority’ over all the power of the enemy. He knows that….but sometimes we don’t know it, or act like it. I agree that it’s nothing to be arrogant about, that would surely guarantee our defeat. But maybe you should, when things seem the darkest, remind yourself of just ‘who’ you are and, with a profound confidence (in Him!), tip your hat to the enemy like Gus did Pedro and make your way on back home with your ‘stuff’!!