Thursday, 17 February 2011

• Little Trash: Replacing the Garbage in Our Lives

  More Than Just an Expression -- I used to think that the expression, "Did ya fall in the toilet?" was nothing more than one way to tease my wife when she takes too long in the bathroom getting ready for church in the morning.  Then we moved to China and I discovered that the toilets here are literally holes in the ground that one could literally fall in. I haven't fallen in yet and I'm hoping to keep it that way, but the prospect is not my favorite one to consider.

  Little Trash -- I was walking by the beach and looked over the side of the walkway and discovered the reason why no one swims here.

  A lot of the trash here ends up in the ocean if it's not collected and burned. The beaches are dirty and abandoned -- although some dare to visit, no one ventures out very far because, well, who wants to be covered with all that filth?

  As I was walking I started realizing that this trash is not so much unlike the sin that I ignore in my own life.  

  Although most of the major trash is collected and taken to a dump or incinerator, the little bottles and wrappers often miss the trashcan and are left to be washed out to sea where it is creating a very big, ugly, and noticeable mess.

  These 'little' sins work collectively together to pollute my soul and leave me spiritually trashed.

  I know I've been guilty of thinking that they will go unnoticed by everyone else, and perhaps they would, but it is this "pollution" that I think leaves such a stench on me spiritually if I do not take the time to clean up. 

  This is the lesson that I've learned; when I put in trash from the world -- violence, sex, vulgar speech, smutty comedy, greed and the like -- I am leaving behind trash in my soul that is very hard to clean up.

  I used to think it was just the "major" sins in my life that polluted my soul, but I was majorly wrong.  

  We're called to be more than just self-righteously righteous. We're called to be pure and holy. That means that we must clean up our acts by replacing this garbage with acts of love, kindness, joy, self-control and patience. 

  I think the answer has been in front of me all along -- replace the garbage with pure things.  

  Instead of cussing, bless.
  Instead of lusting, love.
  Instead of fighting, serve.
  Instead of slandering, complement.

  In all things, with love and kindness, walk actively in Christ. That is how we cleanse and purify ourselves. It is not through passive actions, but through active living in the Holy Spirit.

  Do you sometimes say little things that seem harmless but could be polluted with sin?  Do you think these little words need cleaning?  How can remind ourselves to say good and holy things?

  • 8:12 PM
  • 476 Views
  • 6 eProps
  • 3 Comments