Keeping Your Word

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 25, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

Last Saturday, family and friends gathered to say goodbye to my Daddy. He was one of the most interesting people you could ever meet. His life revolved around his love for God, family, and cars. Anyone who knew him knew that he had a passion for cars. I drove one of my Daddy’s unique car creations to the memorial. It had started as a Chevrolet El Camino, but Daddy had grafted the front end of a 1950 Studebaker to the front of it. He called his creation a Studemino.

As I was driving the Studemino to the memorial, it started to lose power, and soon after, it quit as I went up a steep hill. I had to call my cousin to rescue me. As my daughter and I were waiting to be rescued, she started laughing. “It is so appropriate to be having car trouble on the day of Grandpa’s memorial,” she said. Through the years, Daddy had broken down on the highway too many times to count. It was almost a trademark. And he often ran out of gas trying to get to that next gas station that was a couple of cents cheaper. 

At the memorial, people remembered their experiences with Daddy, almost all centered around a car. So many people in attendance remembered Daddy giving them rides in his old cars or even letting them drive them. Daddy loved showing his cars to people and sharing them. Another theme was his trustworthiness. You could count on Daddy to keep his word. As people shared stories, I remembered one he had told me about his childhood. When Daddy told me the story, he said he learned the importance of keeping your word from his Daddy.

When he was young, his family called my Daddy Bobby. The cold Kansas winter wind blew as the young boy walked down the icy country road. The gravel road was coated in sleet and ice. “Be careful, Bobby,” Daddy said, “you don’t want to slip and fall like I just did.” “Yes, Daddy,” Bobby answered. They had already been walking for more than a mile and still had several more. Bobby had never seen a road that was so slick. There had been several inches of sleet the day before, followed by heavy freezing rain. The ice coated everything, making it impossible to travel the country roads by car.

Earlier that morning, Daddy had said, “Bobby, why don’t you come with me to take care of the neighbor’s cattle.” Daddy had promised the neighbor that he would feed the cattle while the neighbor had to be out of town for a few days. He hadn’t gone to feed the cattle the day before because of the ice storm, and he knew the cows would be hungry. “We can’t take the Model A; it’s frozen solid, and the roads are too slick,” Daddy said, “we will have to walk.” “But the neighbor's house is five miles from here,” Bobby said. “Yes,” Daddy answered, “but I promised I would take care of the cattle, so if the only way we can get there is by walking, then we will have to walk.”

Along the country road to the neighbors’ house were several long, steep grades. Daddy and Bobby struggled to make it up the slippery slopes, and Daddy fell multiple times. “How long will it take us to get there,” Bobby asked. “However long it takes,” Daddy answered, “I promised that I would take care of the cattle, and I must keep my word no matter how bad the conditions are or how long it takes.” Bobby put his hands in his pockets to warm them as they continued walking down the icy road.

After walking for three and a half miles, Daddy and Bobby came to the state highway. As they were walking down the highway, a truck spread sand on the road. The driver stopped and asked where they were going. Daddy told him they were heading to the neighbor’s house about a mile and a half down the highway. “Hop in and get warmed up,” the driver said, “ride with me while I’m sanding the road, and I will take you there.” Bobby was happy to crawl up into the cab of the truck and sit between the driver and Daddy.

When they reached the neighbor’s house, the truck stopped, and Daddy and Bobby crawled down out of the truck. “Thank you so much,” Daddy told the driver as they waved goodbye. Bobby gave grain to the cattle, and Daddy pitched hay. The cows were very happy to see them and get something to eat. When they had finished feeding the cows, Daddy chopped a hole in the ice so the cattle could get a drink. When they had finished, Daddy said, “We had better get started back home. We have a long way to go and want to get home before dark.”

Shortly after they started walking down the highway, someone gave them a ride to the country road that led to their house. They still had three and a half miles to walk. Daddy slipped and fell several times as they walked down the icy road. When they could finally see the home place, it was almost dark. They had walked miles and miles of treacherously slick roads to feed some cows. “Why did we have to feed the cows when the roads were so icy?” Bobby wondered.  “A man’s word is important,” Daddy answered. “If you make someone a promise, you should do everything you can to keep it.” When they opened the door to their house and felt the warmth of the wood stove, Bobby was happy to be home.

Gentle Reader, I have had many promises made to me that were broken. I’m sure that you have, too. And I have broken promises that I have made. But unlike our promises to each other, God keeps every promise he makes to us. God does not go back on His word. “God is not a human being, and he will not lie. He is not a human, and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true.” Numbers 23:19 (NCV) When you read your Bible, look for God’s promises to you. A favorite promise of mine is found in Isaiah 41:10 (NLT): “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” You can count on God to keep his word!