The Little Red Tractor Set

My dad has always told me to take care of others and God will always take care of you. In Spanish he has reminded me of “las leyes de recompensación” - the laws of compensation. As an adult I get it, and the bible verse would be “to whom much is given, of him much will be required”, it is dealing with reward.

I can vividly remember him telling me those same words when I was in my early childhood years. My family was visiting cousins in Matehuala, S.L.P., Mexico. Every year my parents would take me and my siblings to visit the homeland. These were yearly trips that I knew I would be able to play with cousins and kids my age. I would bring some of my favorite toys and we would play with action figures, build ramps for the matchbox cars, or show them a new toy I had received. As kid I would show off the things that I had without considering of what I was doing.

I remember a certain trip in the early 90s more than others, because my dad told me again those words “that God will take care of me...it will be okay. We are about to pack up and leave but you can give your tractor set to your cousin’s friend”.

I started to tear; I really loved this tractor set and wagon. It was heavy, painted fire engine red, measured 8.5” x 5” x 4.4”, was made of real metal, not some cheap plastic, had the Ertl logo on the wheels, and it was mine. He looked at me again and said, “dáselo” - (give it to him) - and I did. I glanced at my tractor set one last time and gave it to this random kid I had just met earlier that day. I was gifted this toy and now I was giving it away, all because my dad told me to do so and that somehow God was going to take care of me. At the time I may have not understood what that meant, but as a 35 year old I think I get it. I can look back at my dad’s words and can associate that lesson with today’s scripture readings.

Our Lord speaks in parables, and asks us to be aware of how we pray and live our life. My dad has always taught us to be giving of others and to not to ask for reward. That the Good Lord will always take care of you for helping those who need it more than you. Relating this scripture to this event in my childhood was focusing on the actions of myself and not others. I might have been too young to understand but my dad was teaching me to focus on others and allow mercy and humility to be a part of my life. That the greater reward will be later in life, and it has been.

During this Lenten season I should humble myself so how I can focus on changing my ways in which I could be selfish. As a kid I was forced to give up my favorite tractor toy, but now I understand that my dad was teaching me to be humble, and to realize that I have already received much. Our Lord spoke in parables that still hold true to today, and I am thankful that my dad keeps reminding me of them.

Author: Raul Ornelas, Jr, Sophomore Counselor, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Programs