“Blind Leading the Blind”
Do you know what a “small bus” is? Maybe you know it as the “short bus.” Either way, it is a bus on which the physically and mentally handicapped ride to school. Fun, fun, fun.
One day I was filling in on what was called a “Special Needs” route. Being that I was not familiar with where all the stops were, it would have helped to have someone on board, like an attendant, to give me directions. You see, even though drivers are supposed to write out directions, the ones that get left for the sub drivers aren’t always up-to-date. Attendants regularly help with the “rights and lefts.”
Oh, I’m sorry! You need to know what an “attendant” is, don’t you?
Usually, on all “Special Ed” routes, there is what is called an “attendant.” This is the person who rides along to watch the kids in the back, making sure they stay seated and buckled in, ensuring their safety. However, many times the attendant’s job consists of being cursed, spit on, puked on, drooled on, kicked, and even looked at “funny.”
Anyway, I did not have an attendant this special (pun intended) day. I had a list of directions, but they were pretty vague. I might has well been driving blind, cause I was totally in the dark. I needed a little help. Then, I pick up my first student…maybe she could help me? Nope….she was blind.
Me: Good morning. How are you doing?
Girl: I am doing great! You don’t sound like our regular driver. You filling in for him?
Me: Yeah, and I wish he had left better directions to get where we need to go. I wish I had some help.
Girl: Don’t worry, I’ll keep you on track. (EXCUSE ME!!)
Me: (Puzzled) What are you going to do, whack me on the back of the head with that stick? (Yes, I said it.)
“Life Lesson”
When the “blind lead the blind,” nobody gets picked up; nobody rides; and the Destination is never reached.
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. – Matthew 15:14 KJV
Teachers of the Word, be mindful of your doctrine…
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. – 1 Timothy 4:16 NKJV
Followers of the Word, be mindful of your teachers…
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. – 2 Peter 2:1 KJV
That happened to me! Seriously! Back in the 1970s, I went through a series of odd jobs, looking for my niche. For almost a week, I drove a Yellow Cab in Houston, Texas.
There wasn’t any GPS back in those dinosaur days, and I did not know the city very well, having just recently moved there.
On the day I picked up a Manson family lookalike, who all needed a ride to the courthouse, surprise surprise… and right after dropping them off, I picked up a blind man wearing dark glasses and carrying a white cane, who told me when to turn left and when to turn right… that was the day I went back to the Yellow Cab depot and regretfully told them that driving a taxi wasn’t for me!
Again, I did not get the lesson out of my experience that you did. Thanks again for the spiritual insight!
Amen.