“Justify, in stall one, will he take his place in history? They’re off in the 150th Belmont Stakes, and it was a very good early beginning for Justify who goes immediately to the lead in the race to the first turn. So, it will be Justify to set the pace here… Justify is the leader, but it’s just a half-length advantage here… as they come to the top of the stretch… and they’re into the stretch, and Justify comes roaring home to a ruckus Belmont Park… And now, Justify is immortal! Justify is the 13th Triple Crown winner!”
Have you ever heard of the expression, “Get off your high horse?” High Horse is an attitude of being better than, to be sure, stubborn and proud. Have you ever noticed that it is acceptable to be “proud” as long as the object is not the ego? People seem to accept people who are, say, rich and humble over those who are rich and know it! Conceited, disdainful, snobbish, or self-righteous people tend to live lonely lives.
But I think we probably agree that it is never pleasing to God for a believer to ever mount and ride a High Horse. An attitude of High Horse existed long before medieval times when nobles would ride taller, larger size horses than the common people. Uncommon gets people’s attention, right? Who doesn’t like bigger and better? I would prefer driving a Porsche over a Honda, but for me, that would be self-indulgent, and for another thing, I would have a problem putting the pedal to the metal. Having a motorcycle would thrill me but probably kill me.
High Horses of today are exotic automobiles, homes, yachts, clothes, and so forth. There is nothing wrong with having nice things as a believer. The problem for many is allowing the pursuit or possession of those things to pull them away from the will of God for their lives and turn them into a High Horse. Then harmless becomes harmful spiritually. It transforms from a simple thing into a stumbling block. You see; idolatry is not limited to wood, stone, or metal; it can be anything, including an idea, or anyone that competes with the will of God for your life.
Just because something is a good deal and affordable doesn’t mean it is God’s will for us to have it. Maybe we have developed a like for the look of High Horse and do not want to admit it! High Horse and humility go together like oil and water.
Who doesn’t like wearing nice clothes, for instance? After all, this is part of the phylacteries of success according to the world (contrast Josh 1:8). Rather than sporting the impressive look, where are the “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col 3:2) kind of people?
I have known some who were well-to-do but also knew who they were in Christ and knew His will for their lives and did it. Granted, not everyone can handle material riches. It can lead down a destructive pathway to living a life independent of God. This is just one reason why the prosperity gospel or the “name it and claim it” advocates are so dangerous to people’s spiritual health.
There are so many problems and pitfalls to being wealthy. In a material-driven society, that stresses maximizing over minimalizing, materialistic thinking doesn't struggle with verses like Proverbs 15:16 at all, because they don't believe it,
“Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble.
I listened to a young man telling me that he wanted to be rich for the purpose of giving more to the Lord and helping others; this was the spiritual storefront anyways for me to buy into what he was telling – “I can serve the Lord better if I am wealthy.” Though that is an admirable goal, having more money doesn’t make you more spiritual, nor is it a stable vehicle to deliver on a promise. For most, having riches causes believers to turn out carnal in their thinking and living, as well as, less charitable. Often times when they give, it is out of abundance without any sacrifice (cf. Mk 12:43-44).
After this young man finished telling me all of his aspirations to have wealth, I asked him a simple question, “What makes you so certain that God wants you to be rich?” He looked at me with a blank stare on his face and could not answer. That bothered me more I am sure that it did him. Currently, he is going full bore toward making his dream a reality. Hopefully, along the way, he will learn that God doesn’t need His money but a man after His own heart instead (cf. Mt 6:21). For it is only from such a heart where the will of God has no competition.
I asked another man in his thirties, who claimed to be a believer, “Where did he see himself five years from now? It was similar to the other younger man’s answer but conspicuously absent of a “spiritual” goal, with his, “I am going to do this and that and then this and that and then this and that” and so on. His having all the simplistic answers caused me to be blunt. I said, “That all sounds good, but something is significantly missing!” He asked, “What?” I replied, “I didn’t hear any mention of God in your plans for the next five years; it appears that God is not a part of your plans.” I don’t think he agreed with my observation.
In some ways, both of these two men were riding this High Horse, and any attempt to dismount them even out of agape for their spiritual benefit was going to be met with resistance (in one ear and out the other). Listen, taking the high road in obedience to God is never accomplished by mounting a High Horse. High Horses do not run on that stretch. When they decide to buck you off, it can be embarrassing and painful on the low road.
I like horses, but what I am about to say may sound a little strange since I’ve been alluding to the “solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated” horses, and no, I am not promoting gambling! Wouldn’t or shouldn’t we be more willing to get off our High Horse and mount up with the wings of eagles to be uplifted spiritually and emotionally as believers?
Watching Justify, the favored three-year-old chestnut-colored colt at the 150th Belmont Stakes (June 9, 2018), take the lead out of the gate and maintain it for 1.5 miles (2.4 km or 12 furlongs) and crossing the finish line in two minutes and 28.18 seconds, becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner. It was simply an amazing feat, as with all previous TC winners.
Year*
|
Horse
|
1919
|
Sir Barton
|
1930
|
Gallant Fox
|
1935
|
Omaha
|
1937
|
War Admiral
|
1941
|
Whirlaway
|
1943
|
Count Fleet
|
1946
|
Assault
|
1948
|
Citation
|
1973
|
Secretariat
|
1977
|
Seattle Slew
|
1978
|
Affirmed
|
2015
|
American Pharoah
|
2018
|
Justify
|
*Source: https://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/derby-history/triple-crown-winners
The Triple Crown is considered to be the most grueling schedule and one of the most difficult accomplishments in horse racing for a three-year-old thoroughbred horse to win. The coveted path begins with winning the Kentucky Derby. Then two weeks later, the horse has to win the Preakness Stakes. Three weeks after that, the horse has to run the longest track in horseracing, the 1.5 miles at the Belmont Stakes.
The race was emotional and thrilling as it was when watching Secretariat (1973), Affirmed (1978), and American Pharoah (2015). I was tearing up watching Sea Biscuit beat the 4th Triple Crown winner, War Admiral (1937), by four lengths in a match race in 1938. (see it on YouTube).
If you saw the race on TV, did you see the jockey on Justify wearing a logo printed on his pants, “WHEELS UP?” Though it probably represented some business entity, I looked at it, not as some company logo as the jockey was taking a flight on Justify. When you mount this colt, you are going to be flying all the way, hoofs ablaze, and winning!
Oh, that our passion would be “WHEELS UP” for God, flying in the power of the Holy Spirit, soaring like an eagle, not for a title and bragging rights like High Horses, but for God’s glory. In such a spirit we “press toward the goal for the [coveted, added] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Php 3:14), no High Horse here or there, only wheels up and letting it rip in the perimeter of God’s will.
Think about it. How will your race of faith be called when you cross the finish line of life, wheels down and falling behind like some High Horse or wheels up and pressing all the way to the finish line like someone who has been justified (Hab 2:4)? <><
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