One our neighbors was approached by another neighbor who proceeded to chastise her for having loose items in her city-provided garbage container. (Our city wants all garbage to be bagged.) With amazement she asked, “How do you know that?” He responded, “I came over and looked.” If you think that’s strange, come and visit me and I will tell you some even stranger stuff about the guy.
As I listened I thought of how often we dig around in other people’s pasts to find some juicy bit of garbage. We use it to spice up our conversations. It seems to be our nature to enjoy that better than saying, “That Harold is a really great guy.” It is no wonder Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15 we will be changed. If not, heaven will be a boring place because there won’t be any garbage to tell about each other. No, I haven’t lost track of the fact that I just invited you over to tell you things I can’t write about. I’m just as guilty as you are. And you are. Don’t pretend not to be.
In James 3 we read about how dangerous our tongues seem to be. The chapter finishes with. “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” So the lesson is obvious. Let’s cease looking into other’s garbage. I’m sure you are like me in wanting to reap that harvest of righteousness. By the way my neighbor is really strange. Oops. I did it again. This can be tough.
Spring Of Life