Heavenly Wisdom illustration of the importance of having pure motives.
Cody, a believing cowboy, was talking with John, a farmer, about his conflict with the local cattle men.
“This conflict,” Cody observed, “can’t be avoided as it is two ways of life clashing, but it can be done well or badly.”
“That’s a new perspective,” said John thoughtfully.
“Now,” Cody went on, “Doing it well has to do with starting with good motives. What good motive could you have to oppose the cattle man Dodge and his threats?”
“Hmmm,” replied John, obviously at a loss to answer at being challenged this way.
“I don’t have a right to tell you what to do, but I can, out of good will, help you to think things through and find a way out of this dangerous situation.”
“Alright, I don’t have much choice. As it is, there’s no way I can fight off Dodge and all his men by myself.”
“So,” Cody said, “let’s get back to your motives, John. What good motives can you have for taking a stand?”
John thought for a while, setting the butt of his rifle on the ground. “Well, how about establishing a home for my family?”
“Yes, that’s a good one. Do you have a wife, John?”
“Yes. She’s in the house making lunch.”
“What motive of yours would concern her?”
“To protect her,” John replied immediately.
“Good, now you have two positive motives. How about a wider one, encompassing more than your own spread here?”
“What do you mean?” John asked.
“Think about the future of this country, about the other people that will come.”
“Ok, how about this, make it possible for other settlers to come and raise their families?”
“Good, very good! What about Dodge? What motive could you have for him?”
“I’d like to push him off his ranch and out of the area!” John said vehemently.
“Really? Is that a positive motive?”
“Well, I guess not,” replied John. He was quiet for a moment, looking off across the prairie at the mountains in the distance. “I want to have peace with him, allow him his way of life while he lets me have mine.”
“Now, that’s a really fine motive; it could bring about a very different solution than shooting down those who oppose you,” Cody said.
And the story goes on to tell how Cody applies this and other elements of Heavely Wisdom to avoid a range war. Check it out here on Amazon.:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=s.+m.+wibberley+a+cowboy+with+heavenly+wisdom&crid=WMYKIMDJU4SM&sprefix=s.+m.+wibberley+a+cowboy+with+heavenly+wisdom%2Caps%2C87&ref=nb_sb_noss
picture: Cowboy with Heavenly Wisdom
