ALTHOUGH THE DEMOGRAPHIC FORCES no longer hold true, for many generations those who reside in the western states of the USA could trace their ancestry to hardy pioneer stock who made the journey from St. Louis across the plains and to California, or Oregon, or Washington, in a Conestoga wagon. In a time before cars, in a time when the trans-continental railroad was but an entrepreneurial dream, in a time when the land was hostile to travelers, these visionaries sold everything they had and thrust themselves into a new life; such a life demanded a total commitment and forged a bond between peoples who previously had nothing in common, but now literally depended on one another for safety, sustenance, and success. Leaving the past behind, shoulder to shoulder they set out for a new hope, a promise of blessing. They left their old lives behind, whatever those were, and headed for a fabled promised land, where they would be in control of their own destinies.
The wagons were pulled by teams of animals; sometimes horses, sometimes mules, but most commonly by teams of oxen. The oxen were slower, but for the long journey they were steady and powerful. Not only would it not do to mix a team as to type, say horse and oxen together, but also a team of like animals had to be balanced in capability. Each had to shoulder its load and pull evenly, and each had to have the goal of a common destination, or the wagon and its contents and people would have a difficult journey and, in some circumstances would be unable to complete the journey.
It was relatively easy to agree on the mechanics of preparation for the journey, for typically the greenhorns, as they were called, would be led by a seasoned wagonmaster or trail boss. Mostly they were comfortable, at least at the beginning of the journey, with accepting such leadership in exchange for the promise of a safe and successful trip. But, the length of the journey always brought challenges; there were hostile natives, flooded rivers, and buffalo stampedes to contend with. There was also just the long, hard grind of months of tedious work in inclement weather conditions. Diaries from those times are replete with the exigent daily challenges. There were also the rare stories of absolute collapse of a wagon train; in one, the seasoned veterans abandoned the greenhorns after taking their money, and many were subsequently massacred in an Indian attack. In another, well-known, the Donner party was trapped in the deep Sierra winter snows and resorted to cannibalism.
It is thus with us, also. We are all on a long and difficult journey called ‘life.’ On this journey, we travel with many companions. Some we travel with by choice, and some by circumstance. We have a great deal of control over those with whom we travel by choice, if we would but exercise such choice. Similarly—given the power of choice—we also have much control over our circumstantial companions, far more so than most of us realize. Many of the bad choices people make come about because dissimilar people share in a common goal, and mistake that mutually desired outcome as a bond, instead of seeing it for what it really is: bondage. So, the Bible cautions us: “Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor. 15:33)
All can look back and ruefully identify unwise, sometimes disastrously foolish, close relationships that we chose—it didn’t ‘just happen’ – we must take responsibility—which then demanded a price. Sometimes the price was immense in the form of life-long consequences. When it was over, and some time had given objectivity, we could but shake our heads and murmur internally, “How did I ever let that happen?” The answer is usually, “A little bit at a time, until it was too late.”
Admonishing us not to be yoked with unbelievers, Paul informs, “Therefore come out from them and be separate. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 15:17-18).
The journey is long, and requires both having and being good companions. We need well-matched relationships for the arduous daily tasks and intermittent challenges and crises that we face, and cannot overcome alone, as we head into eternity. Choose wisely. It would be well to take Joshua’s words to heart, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15)
But there is yet one more thing necessary in this journey. Just as those intrepid early American settlers needed someone with the knowledge, experience, and skills to guide them west, so we who travelling much further need a leader in whom we can place our trust. The settlers of the westward expansion of what has become America spent five months of their lives to cross the two thousand miles west to their new homes. It may only take us our seventy-eight allotted years to begin and end this life, but we are travelling across infinity and it will take us an eternity to fully inhabit our new home. We have someone who knows the way, for God “raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Eph. 1:20-23) All that is necessary is that we follow.
Q. Who are my trusted companions?
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