Two Bull Moose Lock Horns--a Grim Reminder

On display in Denali Park in Alaska was this set of two moose antlers.

Someone had found these interlocking antlers, where two bull moose had fought, gotten their antlers          hooked together, and were unable to separate. The parched antlers had been found somewhere in the mountains, a grim reminder of the awful end of two enemies who each had to have his own way--perhaps his own set of wives, or his own territory,

                                        which is what moose tend to fight over.                                        

We stood there feeling sober and sad for the moose who ended their days hopelessly stuck with a mortal enemy. It was the moose way, moose instinct. Moose fight all the time and get away with it. One wins and one loses. One gets the pretty lady moose and the other doesn't. One gets the nice green grass and the willows and the brook in his section of the mountain, and the other has to go find another place to graze, raise his family, and otherwise do moose things.
                                       One can only imagine how these moose lives ended.

Did they learn to accept their caught antlers and learn how to graze together,
or did they fight to the death, leaving their flesh to be picked at by the eagles and their bones to bleach in the mountain sunshine?

It was a sobering thought.

There isn't anyone who doesn't at some time in their lives run into someone who thinks he has some sort of need to fight--whether to gain or protect his or her spouse, gain or protect some sort of territory,

or in some other way making sure the other person doesn't take control of anything that they think is theirs, whether it is property, power, relationships, or prestige.

Sometimes we get into a fight by accident; we simply brought up a different view or expressed a disagreement. We didn't mean to start a fight. 

Sometimes we get into a situation that is out of our control and we have to defend ourselves.

Sometimes we have to take the part of someone who is helpless and defend them against evil.

But sometimes, even when the other bull moose is selfish or in the wrong, 

it would be better to leave the situation,

to leave them alone with their wrong, with their pretty lady moose, with the best of the nice green meadows, and with their easy territory, famous family, or nice congregation.

It's better to leave than get your antlers stuck together in a death grip.

If you want to keep living freely for the glory of God, just back off and let go.

It's sad, but it's sadder to lock horns and not be able to get free.

It's sadder to shorten your life and your effectiveness and your happiness and peace by keeping on fighting, even if you know you are right and they are wrong.

Just move on.

Just run along and stay free! 

There are plenty of green meadows and willows, plenty of good people to be new friends, plenty of ways to glorify God without having to be in that moose's territory.

                                       These locked bull moose antlers are a sobering lesson.