The Stranger at 2:00

By: Dr. Greg Quakenbush, Geissler Corp., & Dr. Doug Ford, Production Animal Consultation

As I pulled into the corner of the walnut grove I noticed that the outside temperature registered 100 degrees on the pickup thermometer. The day was hot and getting hotter and the 2nd leaf walnuts seemed to enjoy and revel in the hot weather. They were putting on a growth spurt somewhat reminiscent of field corn.

I got out of the truck and dropped the tailgate to provide my lithe frame some support as I sat down and switched into my work boots. As I was finishing up, the Queensland Heeler behind the adjacent neighbor’s fence began barking incessantly while running back and forth as fast and as far as the fence would allow. I knew the dog was not barking at me, yet I could not figure out what had her so excited. I followed her line of vision and focus into the young stand of walnut trees and I saw nothing. As more time passed, her barking and pacing became even more intense. I looked again into the field, staring and searching to see what had possibly set this dog off.

Suddenly, my eye caught a slight movement about 80 yards out. As I followed the movement through the trees I became able to make out the profile of a man walking all alone through the grove. As he came to the end of the tree row he turned in my direction and started to walk along the highway.

As I watched him slowly approach I was wondering why anyone would be all alone in this heat, walking somewhat aimlessly through the fields. What kind of mischief had this guy been up to… and why was he in my grove?

As he walked closer I notice that he looked dirty and had on ill-fitting, somewhat sloppy clothes. My experience, which has taken me from rural America to New York City and back, first tagged this individual as possibly a “homeless” person. “Homeless” certainly does not make sense in a rural setting on a hot day, but I saw no other explanation.

Having been “ambushed” in the past by people at gas stations who invariably have a worn-out vehicle, a sad story, and naturally no money, I imagined that he was possibly going to hit me up for a similar shakedown. My imagination continued its course bringing to mind those crusty looking individuals found at certain intersections, walking the line of idling cars stopped at the intersection begging for money. Typically they communicate via a cardboard sign that succinctly explains their situation and need. The messages are almost universally similar as they explain they have fallen on hard times, are a veteran, lost their job, are hungry, etc. Many, but not all, classically end their cardboard tweet with

“God Bless”. A closing statement that seems somewhat full of contradictions.

As the stranger drew closer, I awoke from my daydreaming and continued to go about my work somewhat purposefully moving away from his path. As he came upon my truck he passed behind it and went directly to the neighbor’s domestic well (outside the fence), turned on the faucet, and proceeded to take a long and well-needed drink. That’s bold of him I thought, but also certainly necessary as he had to be somewhat dehydrated after all of his walking.

After getting his fill of water he turned off the tap, reversed course and headed back along the same path that had brought him to the well. As he passed behind my truck yet again I looked back his way to hear him call to me, “Sir?”

“Yes,” I cautiously replied.

“Would you happen to have the time?”

“Just a little after 2:00, I responded.”

“Thank you,” he politely offered and continued on his way.

As I continued with my work I kept close tabs on him as he followed the highway back along the route from which he came. At about the 80-yard marker he made an abrupt 90-degree turn and headed back into the grove.

From my vantage point the tree branches made it a little difficult to follow him as he continued walking. I lost track of him for a moment and then to my surprise I found him on his knees, seemingly stroking his hands up and down around the base of the tree. “What the heck is he doing?” my mind asked. “This is beyond strange. Why is he seemingly molesting my young tree? Is he digging a hole? What is going on?” I was now far more intense and focused than the Queensland had been. I moved a bit to obtain a less obstructed view… and then with better positioning, the awful truth finally came into full view. My supposed homeless loner, my self-imagined grifter… was out painting (whitewashing) my tree trunks.

Whitewashing the trunks of young fruit and nut trees serves the purpose of reducing sunburn and stress created by extensive sun exposure. Just like cattle can suffer under an unrelenting hot sun, so can young trees. I had forgotten that my farm manager and I had just discussed the week before the need to get these young trees painted and protected as soon as possible. When I finally understood why he was there and what he was doing, I felt a sense of regret and shame. Shame on my part because I had incorrectly prejudged this individual and regret because I had let selfishness temporarily blind me and alter my priorities.

Selfishness is a signal that I have an ownership problem.

Whose money is it anyway? It’s mine, right? If I continue along this line of reasoning I end up with an even greater question. Whose life is this? It’s mine! If one follows this self-centered script to its end point, what is the result of a life lived in this manner? Would the result be a life well lived? I doubt it…

If someone gave me a $100 and told me to share it with someone else, I would have no problem with that request and would freely pass it along. On the other hand if I were told to give a $100 out of my pocket to someone else there would likely be hesitation. Why the hesitation? The hesitation is due to the fact that in the first instance the money was someone else’s and I had no actual “rights” to it. In the second situation the money rights belong to me and thus I can do with it what I want. This is the contrast between “ownership” and “stewardship”.

The Bible has made it clear that God is the true owner of everything and is the one who is the source of what we have… both physically and in regard to our ability and opportunity to make wealth. When we live our lives without “rights” and see ourselves as stewards of God’s program, we are in a sense set free. Instead of a closed fist, we can offer an open hand.

Imagine the difference if I had money in my pocket and was looking for someone to share it with. It would have created a completely different scenario with the tattered looking farm laborer in the story above. Instead of a concern regarding what he wanted to “take” from me, the situation becomes one of what I might do for him. And at the end of the day as a steward, the response and responsibility of the individual receiving the gift is between him and God.

Realizing my earlier mistake I decided to drive out to meet the man laboring for my benefit and share some of my bottled water. To my surprise I could not find him anywhere in the grove. He had no vehicle and I never noticed someone coming by and stopping to pick him up. Once again, what was going on? I gave up. However, in the end, this entire encounter provided a lesson for me. My hope is that this experience goes a bit deeper and you might see yourself in this story as well. SDG

Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV) Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’