As controversial as it may be, I’ll just go ahead and say it. The once touted notion of the electrically powered truck has not quite panned out. Recent reports out of Detroit are that the major automakers are now seriously re-thinking their commitment to the whole concept. It seems that the whole matter comes down to consumer preference.
And rightfully so… After all, it is the consumer, and not the producer, who ultimately determines the fate of any given product. Indeed! For it seems that the consumer has long determined that the F-150 gasoline powered pick-up truck series produced by Ford Motor Company is a winner. After all, as Wikipedia puts it…
Since 1977, the F-Series has remained the best-selling pickup truck line in the United States; it has been the best-selling vehicle overall since 1981. The F-Series has been the best-selling truck in Canada for over fifty years. As of the 2018 model year, the F-Series generated $41 billion in annual revenue for Ford. By January 2022, the F-Series models have sold over 40 million units.
Of those 40 million units, I have first hand knowledge of two. The first is the F-150 King Cab Platinum edition I purchased in 2016. It was the gold standard. Nothing could beat it for looks. Nothing could beat it for travelling. And fully loaded, nothing could beat it for convenience.
The second is the 2000 F-150 standard cab my father-in-law purchased back in 2000. Both were Ford trucks. Both were white in color. Both had V-8 engines with automatic transmissions. Beyond this, the similarities quickly come to an end!
Mine was loaded to the gills with frills. His had none – and I do mean none. His had no electric windows, no electric door locks, no hi-fi stereo, no CD player, no satellite radio, no onboard computer, no HDMI ports, no electric seats, no electric seat warmers, no leather interior, no back seats, no fancy rims and tires, etc.… By contrast, mine had all of the proverbial bells and whistles – and I do mean all of them!
Of course, there was one other significant difference. Mine came with a hefty monthly payment. His did not! You see, I bought mine with a loan from the bank. He bought his with cash! For when the day came that I needed a new truck, I went to the dealership and said, “This is all that I want.” By contrast, when he came to the day that he needed a new truck (to replace his prior worn-out F-150), he went to the dealership and said, “This is (only) what I need.”
Which leads me to the last point… I now fully admit that when I bought my last pick-up, it was as much for status as it was for functionality. Whereas, when he bought his last pick-up, it was purely for functionality. You see, my King Cab Platinum F-150 with all the bells and whistles may have looked great, but at the end of the day, it only had room for a 5 foot bed! By comparison, his Standard Cab F-150 had an 8 foot bed. (And when you put down the tail gate, it held an object a full 10 feet in length!)
And there you have it - one pick-up truck that looks really cool, yet has limited functionality, versus another pick-up truck that admittedly lacks in the looks department, but clearly abounds in all matters of functionality and usefulness!
Little wonder then, that after my wife and I retired, after her father passed away, and after we then found ourselves in possession of both of the aforementioned two F-150 Pick-Up trucks, we chose to sell the one with all the looks and retain the one with all the usefulness! And we have not regretted that decision for one second. Anytime we set out to haul anything, we are reminded of the prudence of her father in regard to his election of a truck!
As I read the New Testament, I am reminded that there is a vivid contrast between those purporting to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. One group clearly does so for the benefit(s) they enjoy in regard to how they feel, how they think they look, and/or how impressive they perceive themselves to be as they sport their “platinum” righteousness before others!
Over against this are those who choose to focus less on how they are perceived and more on how they can be useful; less on how they look to others and more on how they can best befit the purposes of their owner!
The second chapter of the New Testament Book of James (verses 14-17) records the following admonition:
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’”
Clearly, James is here pointing out the discrepancy between those who merely want to appear as Christians and those who definitely want to demonstrate that they are such by their productivity. To underscore this, he continues in verse 18 by saying: “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
All of this is to say that this simple little lesson in trucking has reminded me of a far greater lesson in living. It matters far less how I want myself to look to others; and far more what I genuinely demonstrate. That is to say… Is what that I purport to deliver what I actually deliver?!
Surely this deserves “a good look”!
SOURCES:
TRUCKS:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/james/2.htm.
And rightfully so… After all, it is the consumer, and not the producer, who ultimately determines the fate of any given product. Indeed! For it seems that the consumer has long determined that the F-150 gasoline powered pick-up truck series produced by Ford Motor Company is a winner. After all, as Wikipedia puts it…
Since 1977, the F-Series has remained the best-selling pickup truck line in the United States; it has been the best-selling vehicle overall since 1981. The F-Series has been the best-selling truck in Canada for over fifty years. As of the 2018 model year, the F-Series generated $41 billion in annual revenue for Ford. By January 2022, the F-Series models have sold over 40 million units.
Of those 40 million units, I have first hand knowledge of two. The first is the F-150 King Cab Platinum edition I purchased in 2016. It was the gold standard. Nothing could beat it for looks. Nothing could beat it for travelling. And fully loaded, nothing could beat it for convenience.
The second is the 2000 F-150 standard cab my father-in-law purchased back in 2000. Both were Ford trucks. Both were white in color. Both had V-8 engines with automatic transmissions. Beyond this, the similarities quickly come to an end!
Mine was loaded to the gills with frills. His had none – and I do mean none. His had no electric windows, no electric door locks, no hi-fi stereo, no CD player, no satellite radio, no onboard computer, no HDMI ports, no electric seats, no electric seat warmers, no leather interior, no back seats, no fancy rims and tires, etc.… By contrast, mine had all of the proverbial bells and whistles – and I do mean all of them!
Of course, there was one other significant difference. Mine came with a hefty monthly payment. His did not! You see, I bought mine with a loan from the bank. He bought his with cash! For when the day came that I needed a new truck, I went to the dealership and said, “This is all that I want.” By contrast, when he came to the day that he needed a new truck (to replace his prior worn-out F-150), he went to the dealership and said, “This is (only) what I need.”
Which leads me to the last point… I now fully admit that when I bought my last pick-up, it was as much for status as it was for functionality. Whereas, when he bought his last pick-up, it was purely for functionality. You see, my King Cab Platinum F-150 with all the bells and whistles may have looked great, but at the end of the day, it only had room for a 5 foot bed! By comparison, his Standard Cab F-150 had an 8 foot bed. (And when you put down the tail gate, it held an object a full 10 feet in length!)
And there you have it - one pick-up truck that looks really cool, yet has limited functionality, versus another pick-up truck that admittedly lacks in the looks department, but clearly abounds in all matters of functionality and usefulness!
Little wonder then, that after my wife and I retired, after her father passed away, and after we then found ourselves in possession of both of the aforementioned two F-150 Pick-Up trucks, we chose to sell the one with all the looks and retain the one with all the usefulness! And we have not regretted that decision for one second. Anytime we set out to haul anything, we are reminded of the prudence of her father in regard to his election of a truck!
As I read the New Testament, I am reminded that there is a vivid contrast between those purporting to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. One group clearly does so for the benefit(s) they enjoy in regard to how they feel, how they think they look, and/or how impressive they perceive themselves to be as they sport their “platinum” righteousness before others!
Over against this are those who choose to focus less on how they are perceived and more on how they can be useful; less on how they look to others and more on how they can best befit the purposes of their owner!
The second chapter of the New Testament Book of James (verses 14-17) records the following admonition:
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’”
Clearly, James is here pointing out the discrepancy between those who merely want to appear as Christians and those who definitely want to demonstrate that they are such by their productivity. To underscore this, he continues in verse 18 by saying: “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
All of this is to say that this simple little lesson in trucking has reminded me of a far greater lesson in living. It matters far less how I want myself to look to others; and far more what I genuinely demonstrate. That is to say… Is what that I purport to deliver what I actually deliver?!
Surely this deserves “a good look”!
SOURCES:
TRUCKS:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/james/2.htm.