Bible Study Verse
I Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." (NIV)
Thoughts
I have a co-worker who loves to hunt. He has killed a number of deer and elk, including some respectable bulls. When he drew a muzzleloader elk tag last year, he said, "I'll drop the first bull I see, even if it's a spike."
I was a little surprised and asked him why he wouldn't wait for a trophy?
He just said, "I've hunted for years. I know I can kill one. I just want a young bull that'll taste good." No bravado, nothing about his innate abilities as an elk hunter.
(Ruben C)
Action Point
My friend is clearly passionate about hunting and successful in his quest for animals; but he does not bother to brag about his prowess, only about the thrill of hunting. The Apostle Paul said, "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not -to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him,"
I Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV).
Why do we hunt? When you first started hunting, was it about killing a trophy-class animal, or was it about the thrill of the hunt--whether it was a rabbit, squirrel, or your first deer?
For me it was about the hunt. Don't get me wrong. I understand many of us have different goals when we hunt; but there is much to learn from my friend's humility in simply being satisfied with a well-placed shot after a well-executed stalk, regardless of how many points are on the rack (if any). It teaches me not to focus on what other hunters think of me and my success as a hunter, but what God thinks of me as a disciple. Remember, "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings," I Corinthians 7:23 (NIV).
In order to please God, we must live as ones set apart from the world, even when we hunt.
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
As a conservation officer and an avid outdoorsman, I have the opportunity to see a lot of harvested animals in the field. Unfortunately, I see a lot of wasted game meat in the process. Regardless of the game animal, always dress it out as soon as possible, and always clean the meat of any debris, including bloodshot meat that easily spoils. Many times I have rinsed down an entire skinned deer carcass in the field with a gallon of water. Protect your trophy with game bags. I've never seen salted or peppered game meat repel flies. If it's an elk, skin it out at the first possible opportunity, regardless of the weather; they are possibly the most common game animal to spoil with the hide on.
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