The other day my plantation foreman and I were riding around checking on some agriculture projects when we saw a coyote running down the road in front of us. By the time I got my window down and grabbed my varmint rifle, the running coyote was at the end of the road at approximately 200 yards. A split second before he disappeared from sight, I put the crosshairs slightly above him and squeezed the trigger, and lo and behold, I hit him perfectly and bowled him over with one shot.
The foreman let out a loud yell and remarked, “YOU GOT HIM! Man what a shot! That is one of the best shots I’ve ever seen!” I couldn’t believe my eyes that I actually hit him, and was grinning like a jackass eating briars. Later that day I told a couple of other workers on the plantation about it, and I was really disappointed in their reaction. Both seemed to think I was bragging about the shot rather than rejoicing that we took a coyote out with such a miraculous shot.
Bragging was not my intent at all. I was merely excited about taking out one of the worst predators on the place with a once in a lifetime shot and wanted to share it with others. One of the workers who criticized me for telling him about the coyote shot mentioned that I should have let the plantation worker who viewed the shot do my talking for me and word would have gotten around. I told him that my intent was not to brag and that I was merely excited about the shot and getting rid of a dreaded coyote and wanted to share it firsthand with others.
He was not convinced.
I cannot control that, but the honest truth is that regardless of how it might have appeared, I sincerely was not trying to brag about anything. It was disheartening to see their reaction, but the difference is that those with whom I shared my experiences could not see into my mind or my heart to understand my motives. All outward appearances indicated that I was bragging; inwardly I was excited and would be the first to say that to hit a coyote running at full speed at 200 yards with a .223 caliber scoped varmint rifle hastily thrown up out the driver’s side window of my pickup truck was more about being a “lucky shot” than being a Navy Seal variety precision sniper shot.
I’ve encountered similar reaction to showing people around the resort and Honey Lake Plantation. I’m excited about this place and I truly love it. I think it’s beautiful, and I’m sincerely grateful to God for blessing me with the privilege of living here and managing it for Him for as long as He will allow. I suppose my excitement might come across to a few as bragging, but make no mistake that I realize that Honey Lake belongs to God, along with everything else, and I’m in awe of God and all that He does. I’m not the least bit enamored with myself, and in fact lament the fact that I’m such a weak vessel.
God knows that, and I know that, and that will suffice for me. It’s frustrating sometimes to have people characterize my actions contrary to the reality of the situation; however I’m comforted in knowing that with God that will never happen.
Good or bad, God knows our true motives. The Bible states at the final judgment nothing will be hidden, and all things will be revealed. We need not state our case and/or worry that God will think that we are bragging. He will clearly discern whether or not we mistakenly think that the good things that we have done on His behalf in this life will get us into heaven, or whether we have asked for forgiveness, repented, and accepted His love and grace and understand that what Jesus did on the cross on our behalves is the deciding factor. The blood of Jesus covering our sins will do our talking for us and we need not say anything in our defense against the damning evidence of our sins that otherwise would condemn us.
Phil. 2:9
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.