We were with friends at an open-air street fair when we spotted a mechanical bull that tries to buck people off. They guy operating the bull said, "Watching it isn't nearly as fun as riding." So I told the bull operator that I wanted to ride. He took one look at my middle-aged body and asked, "Are you sure?" That guaranteed that I would not back down.

He explained to me that the bull has 12 levels of difficulty. "It might not be easy," he said, "but the key is you have to stay centered on the bull. You have to follow the bull. You have to shift your center of gravity as the bull moves."

So I got on the bull and it started slow, and then it started moving faster and jostling around, and I was holding on real tight. Then I remembered his advice, so I loosened up, and it kept moving faster and jolting and bucking and jumping. I was hanging on sideways. My arms were flailing around all over the place. I just hung on and finally the bull slowed down and it stopped, and I was still on the bull. It wasn't pretty but I made it. I imagined how surprised the operator of the bull would be that I had triumphed. So I looked over at him and he looked over at me. Shaking his head, he smiled and said, "Nice job. That was level one."

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Pride; Humility; Overconfidence. (2) Spiritual growth; Maturity; Sanctification—This story illustrates the need to realize how far we still have to travel on the road to becoming more like Christ.