STOP ENOUGH TO LISTEN AND DO by Robert Soto

STOP ENOUGH TO LISTEN AND DO by Robert Soto

March 14, 2010

Psalm 78:1 "O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth."

I am as tired as tired can be. I am as sore as sore can be. My feet hurt, my back hurts, my head hurts, my throat hurts and my knees are swollen and painful. You might think I've gotten hit by a semi rig, or fallen off a tall building. But the reality is that I just walked in from our annual spring pow wow. I guess it is because I am getting older and my body can't take what it used to take, but nevertheless I do what I can do and I feel I do it in a good way. So in many ways, it is a good pain and a good hurt and a good feeling to still be able to dance and enjoy the pow wow like I do. But one thing that struck me tonight and gave me a good feeling came as we were doing the snake buffalo dance. As we did the snake part, I noticed that more than half of the dancers were less than fifteen years of age. They will not hurt tonight. Their bones will not suffer as mine do. Their feet will not hurt as my feet do. They danced with such energy and endless youthfulness.

It was then that it struck me. First of all, I once was in their shoes and I once had that endless energy and I once danced with the youthful desire that never seems to end. It was now their turn. It was their turn to carry the torch. It was their time to take the lead. It was their time to be in the spotlight. It was their time to begin to be the men and women God the Creator desires of them. We ended the with the buffalo part of the dance. It was then that I saw just how many of our youth were doing the wrong steps and dancing the wrong dance. I could not go to all the kids but I did choose one. I said to him, "This is not a crow hop nor a trot dance. This is the buffalo dance and when you do this dance you do it like this" and I proceeded to show him. It was at that time that he looked at me and said, "Thank you so much for reminding me to do things in a good way." In many ways that is the way God instructs us as we walk along the way. We stop and listen to all that God the Creator desires of us when He speaks to tell us what we are doing right or wrong. David said, "O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth." God knows and understands me far more than I ever will. Listen to Him and do not follow your own path.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church