IT'S TRASH DAY

As I sit here in my office, I am watching the trash truck come to pick up our trash.  When we moved in six months ago our trash day was Thursday, meaning we had to remember to put it out on Wednesday night.  Then after a holiday it moved to Friday, making me shift to a Thursday "to the curb" mindset.  Another holiday passed and now it is Monday.  Who can remember to put out trash on a Sunday night?  I have never seen things done this way.  It seems to be a moving target, designed to keep me guessing.

Spiritually, every day is trash day.  No need to guess when it is.  I go through the day, sometimes acting saintly and just moments later something triggers ugliness from deep inside of me.  Kind of like the "old man", Mr. Parker, in A Christmas Story when the dogs run through the house devouring Christmas dinner.  Well, maybe not that bad, but ugly nonetheless.

Here's the problem: I actually convince myself that an attitude, prejudice, long-held thought or, well, sin, can be stuffed sufficiently deep enough to never see the light of day.  But sooner or later a trigger comes along and that Mr. Parker moment surges to the surface.

Let's be clear, we can't just hide our garbage.  After a short while it begins to really stink the place.  We need to take out the garbage (confess our sin and repent) never to be seen again.  Though I'll refrain from comparing God to the "Great Trash Collector in Heaven" I will say that only when we surrender our garbage completely every day can we live the kind of life God designed and desires of us.

I'm headed to the curb.  Are you?