Garbage In....Garbage Out!
"Take out the papers and the trash
Or you don't get no spendin' cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (don't talk back)"
Do you remember the song The Coasters sang in 1958?
"Just finish cleanin' up your room
Let's see that dust fly with that broom
Get all that garbage out of sight
Or you don't go out Friday night
Yakety yak (don't talk back)"
"Get all that garbage out of sight"....good advise and very applicable for us in more than one way.
Physically, living life will naturally produce some degree of waste, or garbage. We have recepticles now in most every room to collect it. We have even found creative ways to keep our garbage from it's digressive by-product of offensive smell by making container liners that are pleasantly scented! We collect, wrap, tie and carry it out on a regular basis. At lease we should.
Garbage is very interesting. It is very demanding.
Left alone, it soon begins to decay and is very difficult to ignore. Bags break-down and can ooze waste product into the recepticle. Soon the "smell" is replaced by a rancid stench that screams for attention.
It is saught after by police during investigations. They have been known to empty a whole weeks worth from a residential can and pick through it for evidence. The information it yeilds about it's producer is amazing.
Mentally, our heads can hold more "garbage" than a landfill the size of Texas! No matter how wicked the stench, this is one area that seems to recieve the least attention. Scripture indicates that the mind needs to be renewed, and on a regular basis!
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
.....continued
Spiritually, we are to
James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
This is not a kindly suggestion, but a command.
How many times have I forsaken my own health and well-being over some petty thought of "she said and hurt me, how could she?" or "hmm, well if he can do that, I'm gonna just..." or "wait until they..." how about this one "well, I'll let it go cuz what goes around, comes around!"
Bits of garbage to the minds ears and eyes! The mind is a phenomenal recorder! Has much the same attitude as "Google" in that they both never forget a keystroke! The trouble with that is, the enemy of our souls loves to play with garbage and can whisper "sweet stenchy nothings" causing irrepairable damage. All we have to do is sort through the pile, find just the "right thing" and use it to hurt someone else.
We justify it gloriously by saying we're just "teaching someone a lesson"... or "getting something off our chests". Nevertheless, it is sin and the stench long lingers on our hands.
This year, beloved, I challenge you to "Take out the papers and the trash..." Begin with a clean sweep of the past, ask Jesus to cover you in His cloak of love and forgiveness for your past scars, pain and memories. Pray every day that He will sweep away the trash and renew you with His Spirit, and that you will produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, forgiveness.... you know the rest, it's in Galations!
Then, every day before you retire to your bed and close your eyes, make sure the garbage has been taken out so that the enemy will not have any "toys" and can not even get in a whisper! Read at least one scripture every evening to keep the mind, heart and spirit clean and smelling of a sweet offering to the Heavenly Father!
When taking out the trash, sing it out...loud and strong:
Don't you give me no dirty looks
Your Father's hip; He knows what cooks
Just tell your hoodlum friend outside
You ain't got time to take a ride
Yakety yak (don't talk back)
Yakety yak, yakety yak
Yakety yak, yakety yak !!
Happy New Year Beloved!
