All Hat No Cattle

This is a saying in the American West which describes a person who is all talk and no follow through. They are unable to back up their words with actions. Just because you are wearing a cowboy hat, it doesn’t make you a cowboy. Or just because you are wearing a cowboy hat does not mean you actually own any cattle.

Someone who is all hat and no cattle is just a fake, pretender or wannabe. As an actual rancher, I rarely even wear my cowboy hat. I put it on only for dress up. When I’m working outside, I have on a baseball cap in the summer, and my fuzzy hat with ear flaps in winter. I don’t need to show off that I own cattle, but am being practical, depending on the weather. I don’t live my life based on what others think about me, but on what Jesus thinks about me. Because I know He want me to be the best me I can be. I don’t need to show off.

I know and have met folks who are all hat and no cattle, and it makes me sad. I don’t want to be a wannabe when it comes to my relationship with Jesus and how I portray it to others. I want to be practical and committed. Following Him wholeheartedly as if my life, and your life, depends on it. Because it ultimately does. I don’t want to be a pretender that misleads you. I want to be real and show you what a wonder my life is, even through the hard times, so you ask how you can get real and live in wonder too.

“Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not yourself.” (Prov. 16:3a [TPT])

“Beloved ones, with promises like these, and because of our deepest respect and worship of God, we must removed everything from our lives that contaminates body and spirit, and continue to complete the development of holiness within us.” (2 Cor. 7:1 [TPT])

“So then prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you.” “As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. For Scripture says: ‘You are holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1: 13-16 [TPT])

“But these only revel the sterling core of your faith, which is far more valuable than gold that perishes, for even gold is refined by fire. Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.” (1 Pet. 1:7 [TPT])

I want to be authentic with proven character, so that when I speak of Jesus you will not think me a pretender and not pay attention to what I have to say. I’m taking action to back up my words.

So I looked up the opposite of wannabe, and this is what I found. To be entirely whole, total, genuine, full-fledged, mature, and original. I think we would all prefer to be called by any of these than wannabe.

This is my prayer for all of us, that “God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.” (Phil. 2:13 [TPT])

“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” (Titus 2:7 [NLT])

So let us revel the sterling core of our faith to those around us and be authentic with proven character, living in integrity so we can show the excellence of His life in us to others.

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