Once there was a cattle rancher who despised religion as something only for wimps. The local pastor had visited him a number of time but got nowhere against the grizzled one's spiritual intransigence. In fact, the last time the preacher had dared approach the ranch house, he had been run off with a shotgun.

The rancher had always taken care of himself. He didn't need any namby-pamby religion stuff to make a go of his life. That is what he taught his three sons, as well.

So the pastor was mighty surprised one day to get an urgent call from the ranch. Could he come out right away and have prayer with Tom, one of the rancher's sons?

Rushing out to …