The West Virginia Two Step – Bryan Hutson

A funny thing happened to a couple members of The Kingsmen (while I was a member) a few years ago while we performing in Alderson, WV.
The bus stopped at an Alderson restaurant where the guys walked in and ate a bite. Ray Reese was the first one finished. He left to pay the bill, and out to the bus he went. The bus was parked next to a chain length fence. Phillip Hughes and Harold Reed were next to leave the restaurant . Phill was a few steps ahead of Harold.  Phill was almost to the bus door, when Harold let out a scream! There laying in the path that Phill had just walked on, was a 6 ft black SNAKE! (Ray was watching the whole scene in the bus’ rearview mirror.)

For those who don’t know Harold and Phill, both are 6’2 and both weigh 225-230 pounds. When Harold saw the snake, he began pointing, screaming, and doing what Phil called the ‘West Virginia Two Step.’ Harold was so scared, he couldn’t even say the word ‘snake!’ When Phill finally realized what Harold was pointing and screaming at, Phill began HIS rendition of the ‘Two Step!’ Harold was screaming, Phil was screaming and then the snake probably started screaming!

The snake slithered away, as those two big men jumped on the bus, gasping for breath and letting Ray hold them. (Well, maybe not.)

Phillip was shocked that he had walked right over top of the snake and didn’t see it. Only when Harold began his ‘dance’ was the snake noticed.

Funny? Of course. Would it had been funny if it had been ME? Probably not! Ha ha!

I lived in West Virginia for 4 years, but I wasn’t involved with one of those snake handling churches. If I had, I would’ve been like ‘Ol Wendy Bagwell’. When he and his group found themselves in the midst of the those services. He asked ‘Wonder where the back door is?’ When he realized the church didn’t have one, Wendy asked ‘Reckon where do they want one?’

Which led me to think (you knew it would)..

How many times, do we walk near danger, and don’t see it? Do we realize trouble is there only after our friends ‘point’ it out to us?

I know there were times in my life, when I was involved in things, or dangerously close to trouble, that a friend attempted to point it out to me.

Many times, sadly, I didn’t listen. My thought was ‘They don’t know what it’s like!’ or ‘Who do they think they are?!’

When I was a teenager, My Dad tried to warn me about a girl.  She was the one I loved with all my heart. I was a teenager! Did I know what love was? No way! He said “Son, she is going to break your heart!”  But, I thought he was crazy and not long after that, he proved to be right. She broke my heart. Dad didn’t ‘force’ me to stop seeing her, but wanted to help me because he loved me.

Other times, when I was an adult, other friends in the ministry tried to advise me, but I wouldn’t listen. They were trying to help me. Trying to reach out to me, yet, I wouldn’t listen. And paid the price for it.

God wants us to turn away from things that keep distance between us and HIM. Ask HIM to forgive you. Repent and walk away from it.

If you saw your friend/child/co-worker in trouble, would you try to help them? Is your method of ‘helping’ REALLY helping?

Galatians 6:1 (The Message)
[ Nothing but the Cross ] Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Use God’s Word as your foundation.
1) Pray and ask God to SHOW you and DIRECT your words on the best way to approach them.
2) Confront them with love.
3) Try not to judge them.
4) Restore them gently back into the fold/family.

Maybe you need to be confronted. Ouch!

Is there something in your life that you are allowing that YOU know shouldn’t be there?

I love how ‘The Message’ states it.

Titus 3:3  (The Message)
It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

Thank You Lord for the love you have for me!

Let that verse be an encouragement to you today! Let the knowledge that God’s grace reaches us, no matter where we are!

Watch out, I think I’m ‘fixin’ to do my own version of ‘The West Virginia Two Step!’

Bryan

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