The Little Red Trailer

The Little Red Trailer(Perry F. Louden, Jr.) I was given a little red trailer. It wasn’t in the greatest shape, but I gave it a little TLC. I put a new deck board on, rewired the tail lights, and put some good used tires on it. For several years it yielded good service hauling lawnmowers, furniture, and garbage. It had a flat tire a year ago. I was very fortunate to find two practically new tires. I felt confident that these tires would last a long time.

As time went by, the little red trailer started to fall into disrepair. The hinge on the ramp broke, the pin in the ball hitch was lost, and the safety chain hooks rusted off. Nevertheless, the tires still looked great!

Recently my mower needed repair. A friend suggested that I take it to someone that he knows, so I loaded it up on the little red trailer and off I went. I knew the trailer was not really up to traveling very far, but I thought the small engine repair mechanic was just a few miles away. I drove, and drove, and drove. I tried calling my friend, but got no answer. Now I was late for a family gathering in the next town over. I didn’t have time to go back home, and there was no where to leave my load. So I opted to take it with me. Surprisingly the little red trailer made it there.

After I got there, I relayed the story of why I was late and my frustration. To my surprise, my sister’s boyfriend offered to fix the mower for me if I bought the parts!

A few days later I picked it up. He had put a new belt on and replaced the blades. He was highly concerned though about the trailer. I assured him that it would make it home if I drove slowly and was careful. My assurance must have satisfied him, but deep down, it really didn’t satisfy me. Any number of things could happen like the hitch coming loose, the safety chains failing, the gate falling off, or someone hitting it because the lights weren’t working.

I traveled about 45 mph with my 4-way flashers on for ten miles or so. Then it happened. Boom! My truck immediately became nearly impossible to steer and it took all my strength to get it to the shoulder of the road. As this was happening, I determined that since the trailer tires were better than the truck tires, it was the truck that had the blowout. Not so! The entire back left side of the trailer tire was blown out, almost as if it had been cut. I was thankful to the Lord for getting me safely to the side of the road, but I was also dumbfounded as to why what appeared to be the best thing on that little red trailer was the part that gave way.

Isn’t that how it is in our spiritual life? Often there are things that we guard diligently against: an attractive member of the opposite sex, those sweet sugary foods, and the desire for the latest fashions and electronic devices. Yes, it is important to watch those things and through Christ correct those things that need correcting. However, it is the blowouts, the things that hit us out of the blue, that are most painful and trying: the death of a loved one, getting let go on the job, rebellious children, a debilitating illness, a divorce….

In the Bible Job found himself with a blowout, and another blowout, and still another blowout. However, the Bible records that Job did not sin during his blowouts and afterwards the Lord blessed him many times over.

What was Job’s secret? What did he do to protect his sanity? It’s recorded that Job’s custom was to worship God every morning. In the time of his trouble, he looked to God. “I know that my Redeemer lives…. I myself will see him with my own eye – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25, 27 NIV 1984)

Fortunately, my blowout wasn’t anywhere near as bad as Job’s. It was, nonetheless, out of the blue and unexpected. In this life blowouts are bound to happen. Nevertheless, our worship must give us the faith that we will need to believe that regardless of life’s blowouts, we will still see our Redeemer face to face.