Today I learned two things. First, I learned that even something as simple as a flat tire can go so horribly wrong if not handled right. You see on the way to help a friend break in a new set of calves, this truck took up more then his share of the road and that made Mom take the trailer off the edge of the road we were traveling on. The sidewall of the tire was shredded with the edge of the black top giving us a blowout on our trailer.
A couple of people drove by us as we got the jack and spare tire out. Some even rolled down their windows and asked if we were all right. We told them that we were fine and they drove off. I figured I had it all under control. After all it was just a blow out. I have changed plenty of tires. Well, with over 2000 lbs of horse (we were in the two horse trailer and had Ice and Coop with us) and the weight of the trailer and uneven ground my first attempt at changing the tire went wrong. The only injury was I cut my finger up a bit when the jack fell. You see the way I did the trailer, that resulted in the fall, was the way I had seen Dad do it 100 times.
Anyway, At that point I realized I would have to rely on Mom’s know how for this one. Mom unloaded the horse on the side of the trailer that had the flat. Then She had me use the jack in a different spot. As Mom Held the horse and flagged cars to slow down, I made another attempt to change the tire. This time I got everything taken off but found that with the unlevel ground the jack was about 2 inches to short. I told Mom that if this was going to work “it would only be by God’s Hand.”
What happened next was my second lesson. Mom flagged a truck by as I finished those words and this truck didn’t just go on. This truck pulled up the wrong way on the road blocking traffic for the horse and making a safe pocket for her to stand in. Then the door opened and out stepped a slim, cowboy type man. Without even as much as a Hi he walked over to me and asked “What can I do?”
I was stunned. I told him I just needed two more hands, One to crank the jack and one to balance the trailer. His only words were “Well, you got ‘um”. We finished the task at hand without another word. Then, after I lowered the jack and got the horse back in the trailer I shook his hand and thanked the man. With that he nodded his head, got in his truck and drove away.
I put the jack and the blown tire in the bed of the truck and Mom and I got on the road once more headed to the arena. That is when I learned lesson #2. As Mom drove she made one statement … “Thank you God for sending that Christian to us.” “Christian?” How would Mom know if he was a christian or not? Well, when I asked I found out. Mom said that God had answered our prayers there on the side of the road. Okay, I get that, I did say that only the hand of God could get that done and okay, he did it in the form of a man. I get that too.
However, where did the Christian thing come from. Mom said it was the way he helped. First, he didn’t ask if we needed help he just asked how he could help. Second, he didn’t do it from the window of his moving truck. He stopped with the intention of helping. Third, he put his own personal truck in the line of fire for a horse he didn’t even know or own. And last, he didn’t do it for thanks as I barely got it in before he got in his truck and left.
Mom saids that being a christian isn’t about saying or asking anything. It is about taking action and this guy did just that. He didn’t think of the cost or what could happen if something went wrong. He just took action to help us and to help keep the horse safe. He was unselfish and that is what Mom says makes a Christian. She then told me that I should remember that and always take action, not debate what needs to be done or how to get it done.
You know something … I think Mom is right. Being Christian is being called to action. Acts of love and kindness is what it is all about. The good thing is that we know who this man is and yes we posted a thank you to our Facebook page to him. It is the least that we could do. After all he did teach me what makes a good Christian Man and that is what I strive to be every day of my life.
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