Other People's Trash...

“My wake up call to serving others ...”

Driving back home from dropping the kids off this morning I came across a huge pile of trash outside my neighbors house.  After thinking, I wonder if it was my dog, I had a inner pulling to go and pick up the trash.  

In which I did exactly the opposite....

After all, we had guests coming and I promised Christi that the house would be clean by the time she returned home.  As I started cleaning the conviction became stronger and stronger in the call to go over and pick up the trash.

Then came the rush of excuses, bringing reason in NOT to pick up the trash:

• What if they show back up and see me cleaning it up?
• What if they think it was my dog that went through it?
• Maybe they were mad at waste management so they wanted to make it harder for them to clean it up?  

Aren’t our excuses ridiculous sometimes!

Finally I gave in and grabbed a couple of boxes and walked over to the house and began the process of picking up the trash.  (Which took a entire five minutes to complete!)

While picking up the trash, I began to correlate the trash in my neighbor's yard to the baggage (trash) we carry around with us daily.  There are so many hurting people walking around with a pile of hurt, and what do we do???  IGNORE IT! 

Why?  

When it comes down to it we are just lazy,  disobedient followers sometimes;  it takes too much time or it might be too much of a hindrance to get involved.  

Remember Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve others and give his life for many.  He gladly accepted all of our trash (sin) and took it upon himself.  Actually in many ways we are still dumping all trash upon him today...and you know what he says about it?

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”     -  Jesus 

My prayer...

God, may I begin to continue to step out of my comfort and stop making ridiculous excuses and get involved with other people’s trash!  In doing so, giving others a true depiction of your love.