Description
Lesson Learned on a Sandy Bank
Seldom does one get into serious transgression in a single moment. In most cases, just as the Lord teaches and leads us line upon line, precept upon precept—so too does the Adversary start with flaxen cords or flimsy plant fiber and progress until he takes captive our hearts and binds us with unbreakable chains. Take this story for example.
Many years ago on the ranch, my parents left on a Saturday for some sort of excursion together. Dad left me in charge. As it was summer and crops were growing, dad left me in charge of the irrigation, which at that time consisted mostly of ditches and flood irrigation.
Since he didn’t do this very often I was determined to do well. Dutifully, I went out to change the water. The ditch was running a big stream. I pulled up the dam and moved it to the next spot. I dropped it in and set it in place. The water began to rise rapidly. I climbed up on the side and quickly opened up some cuts in the earthen bank to let the water flow.
By the time I had opened the last cut I realized I had made a terrible mistake. This was not a solid sod ditch bank but was mostly sand. I turned to look and the first cut was crumbling away into a huge washout. I tried to staunch the flow, but it washed out faster than I could fill it. I released the dam but it was too late.
I suddenly remembered there was something down the field that would help me, so I jumped in the old Jeep pickup and hurried down to get it. I was speeding back in near panic, thinking of what my dad was going to do to me when he saw the mess, when suddenly the right front tire dropped into a hole instantly stopping the truck. A hit that hard had to have broken something.
If I had known how to pray, I would have prayed fervently for my life, but I didn’t. Sure enough, the truck wouldn’t move. I later heard something mumbled about the transfer case. I had ruined the truck. And when I got back to the dam, I had ruined the ditch and water was going everywhere and crops were washing out. There was nothing I could do to fix the mess.
I felt so bad that now, 50 years later, I still remember it. Dad repaired the damage and obviously didn’t terminate my existence, but I don’t remember that he ever turned the ranch over to me again.
The lesson is powerful and clear. Sin is a powerful moving force that must be restrained; banked and watched carefully lest it overflow and consume us, leaving us and those we love in humiliation and ruin. Not a single cut of the smallest slice can be allowed in our resolves. Indeed, when the Lord said, “You must watch and pray continually lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you that he may sift you as wheat,” He Meant it!
Sources:
3 Nephi 18:18
Glenn Rawson
