Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack: A Life Lesson in Having Someone’s Back
Most people with a little dose of wild west knowledge know who Buffalo Bill was. Few people know the name of John “Texas Jack” Omohundro, but without Texas Jack, few people would remember Buffalo Bill.
In his day, Texas Jack was well known. He was also Buffalo Bill’s best friend for a season. When a writer named Ned Buntline wanted to write about Buffalo Bill, he parked in the bar where Texas Jack worked and was soon regaled with stories from both Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack. Buntline turned those stories into dime store novels that included both “Buffalo Bill, King of the Bordermen” and “Texas Jack, White King of the Pawnee.”
William F. Cody—Buffalo Bill—became famous, and John “Texas Jack” Omohundro became the first cowboy star. City slickers in the east loved these frontier stories, and in 1871, a stage play was written to tell the story of Buffalo Bill.
The writer Ned Buntline convinced the two men to go to New York City to see the play. Buffalo Bill was curious to see how an actor would portray him. But word got out that Buffalo Bill was in the audience, and, well, who wants to see an actor when the Real Thing is in the audience? So, when the crowd found out that the subject of the play was sitting in the balcony, they cheered until he agreed to say a few words. Cody later wrote:
“I found myself standing behind the footlights and in front of an audience for the first time in my life. I looked up, then down, then on each side, and everywhere I saw a sea of human faces, and thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confess that I felt very much embarrassed—never more so in my life—and I knew not what to say.”
Bill stammered through a few words and rushed off stage. The show’s manager offered him $500 a week (a huge sum in 1871) to stick around and do the play as himself. Cody was not too keen on the idea, and he wrote,
“I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything of the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even if it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor out of a government mule. I thanked him for the generous offer, which I had to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some people might express it, I didn’t have the requisite cheek to undertake a thing of that sort.” [Buffalo Bill (Hon. Wm. F. Cody) and His Wild West Companions]
What the stage manager couldn’t do, Texas Jack did. These two men had been though much together, and Texas Jack always had his friend’s back in dangerous situations. And Texas Jack would have his back now—in something not quite as dangerous as facing hostile native Americans. If Buffalo Bill couldn’t face an audience alone, Texas Jack would be right there with him. Texas Jack took to the stage easily, and he made it easy for Buffalo Bill. William Cody’s wife later wrote:
“He was back home now, with Texas Jack at his side, pulling the trigger of his six-shooter until the stage was filled with smoke, and until the hammers only clicked on exploded cartridges. They yelled. They shouted. They roared and banged away.” [Memories of Buffalo Bill, p. 246]
Texas Jack was a star in his own right, but his actions propelled Buffalo Bill even higher.
As followers of Christ, our task is not to make stars of other people, but neither is our task to make stars of ourselves. Our task is to point to Jesus. So, don’t worry about who gets noticed or who gets the credit. God knows, and He values your ministry and service.
Deborah was an Old Testament judge. She charged Barak with a military task, but he wouldn’t do it unless Deborah went with him. In that moment, Barak hesitated.
“Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go’” (Judg. 4:8).
The hesitant Barak needed a Texas Jack to stand beside him, which is exactly what Deborah did. With Deborah’s support (and that of Jael [v. 22]), Barak did what he was called to do.
Whether you see yourself as a Barak or a Deborah, step in, assist as needed, and don’t get worked up about who gets noticed or who gets the credit. The only notice that really matters will come one day when you stand before the Lord of all creation and hear these words:
“Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 24:23).
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This post supports the study “Barak” in Bible Studies for Life and YOU.
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