Shoot Through the Water Barrel

Old West Water Barrel

Water Barrel Cowards

Some of the most colorful phrases coming from the Old West were localized in geography and era. They’re totally meaningless today. One of my favorite taunts, “I’ll shoot through the barrel and drown you.” This strange sounding epigram called someone a water barrel coward. Used in the right crowd, it guaranteed a fight.

Cattle Drive Days

In the old cattle drive days of the 1870s and ’80s, every Texas cow town lined with water barrels at each street corner. In the rainy season, they caught runoff from the roof. That made it sort of a frontier fire hydrant. Often, when the cowboys came riding in, to hurrah the town, many a citizen, and even an occasional police officer, took refuge behind one of the water barrels. And some got wet or drenched when a stray bullet hit the barrel, flooding the contents.

So, it wasn’t long that the cowboys accused the cowards of hiding behind the water barrels. Thus, the ridicule, “I’ll shoot through the barrel and drown you.”

In the Spiritual Realm

We can get confused about when we’re supposed to run and when we should stand and fight. At times, we seem to hide behind a spiritual water barrel when we should be out in the street facing things. The Bible does tell us, there’s a time to run away.

Paul says, “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Also, “Flee idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). He tells Timothy, “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). But the Bible does not say we must flee from the devil.

“Take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11).

In fact, if you resist the devil, he will flee from you. That should greatly encourage you and me.

Facing the Evil One

When we meet the devil on the dusty streets of our own life scenes, we should stand against him. He will be the one to hide behind the barrel. It’s about time we figured that out, to keep us from a spiritual drowning.

Stephen Bly

Circa 1991

Water Barrel Image by Jerzy Górecki from Pixabay

Water Drops Image by apfeltalk from Pixabay

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“Shoot Through the Barrel” audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  

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