As I have shared before parking lot sweep is one of the jobs at work that has to be done, and I usually enjoy it. I like getting out and walking around in the fresh air, and it gives me time for praise,worship and prayer.  It is also NEVER boring to see what people throw out of their cars…the variety is astounding.

However, some days I find myself trying to understand the thought process behind what is tossed… if there is one. I wonder if they know, for instance, that cigarette butts do not magically disappear, or that beer/coke bottles do not roll themselves over to the trashcans.  And the bags of half eaten and leftover food left by the curb do not serve as advertising!  I also find receipts, bills, grocery lists, phone #’s on scrap paper, ATM receipts, pacifiers, and especially chewed up gum..All  of these are unsightly, distracting, inconvenient, frustrating to deal with, and possibly even dangerous to cars and people.

And yet!  Just when I reached my peak of aggravation the other day, God jolted me with this thought: there are a lot of times that my SPIRITUAL “parking space” looks a LOT like some of those at work!  Careless thoughts and words(cigarette butts) and bad attitudes (trash) can be found.  God’s Word that I read that morning, and yet didn’t fully digest, so I couldn’t share (leftovers/half eaten food).  And on and on we could go.  All of these habits or sins that I carelessly toss around, knowing that I’m covered by grace, but acting as if they don’t affect anyone else.

Just as I wonder what it takes to not care that I have to clean up their junk – and that they should KNOW better than to leave it – I wonder if people viewing my “parking space” might think the same thing?  I can’t believe they don’t have more decency than to take their trash to the garbage cans and dispose of it.  But what if they are thinking, “I can’t believe they said that?” or “Shouldn’t a Christian KNOW better?” or “do they expect me to believe they love Jesus if _____”

It’s a startling thougtht!  And while all the “trash tossing”, both physical and spiritual, is not deliberate and a sign of uncaring, some of it is.  And just like I want those customers to watch what they do, I believe there are times those watching my life want the same.  So next time I pick up trash, I will ask the Lord to show me a piece of “trash” in my life, and do my best to pick it up!