Description

The Great Caravan

Years ago, when I was just a young truck driver I had an experience that left a deep impression on me. It has come back to me many times as a lesson of life. I have never written it down—until now.

I was driving an eighteen-wheeler on the two-lane road between Randolph and Woodruff Utah. I had delivered a load in Evanston and was now on my way home empty. It was a pleasant summer day. A light rain had fallen—just enough to wet the highway. I was driving along at the speed limit with a hostess fruit pie in my right hand.

Just then, I came up over a small hill and there in the middle of the road was a four-wheel drive pickup, dark green as I recall. The driver was stopped or moving slowly. I could not tell. What I could discern in a moment was that there was no way to get safely around it. A glance revealed that the driver was contemplating a left-hand turn but couldn’t decide.

I had no choice, I stomped on the brakes. The tires locked up and began to slide. In less time than it takes to tell it I was sliding sideways out of control and the trailer was coming around to meet me. My last glance out the passenger side window showed me bearing down on the pickup. I was going to run right over it.

When the sliding, grinding, and scraping were over, I was pointed back the way I had come and my trailer was at my driver’s door. I looked down at my right hand at what had been a delicious fruit pie. It was crushed and spread all over me and the truck.

Angry. I kicked open the driver’s door, shook my hand free of the mess and ran around the trailer to see if I had crushed the pickup. To my surprise, the pickup was several hundred yards down the highway. I stood and glared at it. The backup lights came on and the driver reversed to where I was standing. Again, to my surprise, a young woman got out. She was visibly shaken and scared. Apologies flowed profusely, and my anger melted away.

She explained that she was looking for a certain turn off but wasn’t sure if she had found it. She had stopped in the middle of the road to get her bearings and I came barreling over the hill, nearly killing her.

There was no damage to her pickup, so she went on her way. The damage to my rig was minor. The fruit pie, however, was a total loss.

I recently returned from Israel. I spent 16.5 hours in the air and several hours in busy airports to get home. I was tired and walking along with the great herd of humanity through the airport when the guy in front of me suddenly and obliviously stopped to check his phone. The rest of us nearly ran him over. A few steps further and we encountered several friends chatting it up right in the middle of the walkway. They paid no attention as the rest of us had to single file make our way around them.

These are minor irritations of mortality. They come with the territory, but it is major, impactful, and eternal when we can’t make up our mind about the Gospel. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ moves forward like a great caravan and when someone in the ranks suddenly stops and loses faith, not only does it destroy the happiness of those who love them, but it affects the forward progress of all of us. Whatever it may be that troubles you, keep the faith and keep moving forward with the Great Caravan. I promise that in time, you will indeed see the Lord Jesus Christ out in front.