Ephesians 4:31 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
So what do trash cans have to do with my spiritual life?
We have new trash cans on our campus. They contain two different receptacles: one for landfill and one for mixed recyclables. Landfill items, of course, have no further use. They’re destined for burial or burning. Kind of like those areas in my fallen nature that litter the landscape of my soul. Unredeemable items like “bitterness, rage and…every form of malice.” If I hope to grow in Christ, I need to deposit them in the landfill along with any justification for keeping them.
But what about the bin for recyclables?
I like the idea of “mixed recyclables.” It makes me think of all those areas in my life I turn over to God. All those areas I want him to recycle and use for his glory instead of my own. Like a few mornings ago (when we still had classes on campus) ….
I was driving to school, asking God to use me in my public speaking class. By the time I pulled in to the college driveway, I heard a quiet nudge, Tell them about your faith journey. We were finishing up their speeches on “Why I Am a Christian,” so it wasn’t completely out of context, but…Ok, Lord, if this is you, give me the open door.
He did, and I walked through it.
It’s really not my class anyway. He gave me this class for a few brief weeks. For His glory. His plan. His purpose. He can recycle it into whatever he wants. Even transform it into an online class! But I first have to dump my agenda in the recycle bin.
Giving God glory in all we do doesn’t mean we slip Christianese into a conversation or slap a scripture on our art. It’s about whether we use our words and deeds to further ourselves or to further his kingdom.
So why not give everything to God? Let him sprinkle that everything with something from eternity that turns even the mundane into a glorious mixed recyclable.