Taking Out The Trash

HoHum:

Seems like I am the one taking out the trash. While growing up, told to take out the trash. After taking out the dog, the next thing I do is take out the trash. Thankful for Alex who helps me to take out the trash on a weekly basis.

WBTU:

Probably have seen the TV program, “Hoarders” Some of them never throw anything away. These people who have tried to hold on to everything- both “treasures” and “trash”- and things have gotten significantly out of control. Their houses are jam packed with stuff. Something tucked away everywhere until have cramped paths through the house. It is disturbing to watch as the television camera weaves through towering stacks of old newspapers and magazines, empty boxes, mismatched furniture, broken appliances, damaged objects, rotting food (that one stopped me from watching anymore) and much more. Sadly, because of all of this clutter, these homeowners often do not have access to the things that would add value to their lives because they are blocked by things they do not need and contribute little, or worse, negatively impact their lives. This desire to hang onto everything makes their homes unsafe and virtually uninhabitable. Then, after the commercial break, we watch as the team of psychologists, professional organizers, concerned family members, and city inspectors arrive to assess the situation and intervene in this person’s life. The first words of advice- from everyone, on every episode- are always the same, “Let’s start by taking out the trash!” Great advice for all of us. Certainly, we see this in action when a medic begins treating a physical injury by cleaning the foreign matter out of a wound to prevent infection. This same principle can also apply to clearing out the mental and emotional “debris” that may interfere with the quality of our lives and our need for healing and wholeness.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23, NIV. King James says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” or as the New Living Translation says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” One of the themes in the Bible for people of faith is the importance of protecting ourselves from negative influences around us that may prove to be toxic. We are not to “conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” Romans 12:2. We are to do what we can to protect the essence of our beings from toxicity. Newer version of NIV says in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Life has a way of accumulating trash in our souls. It all piles up- trash affects us. Today's jealousy is tomorrow's temper tantrum. Today's bigotry is tomorrow's hate crime. Today's anger is tomorrow's abuse. Today's lust is tomorrow's adultery. Today's greed is tomorrow's embezzlement. Today's guilt is tomorrow's fear. Today's thoughts are tomorrow's actions. Many times the first thing we need to do is to take out the trash.

Thesis: What trash do we need to take out?

For instances:

1. Let Go of the Anger

Need to let go of the anger we have toward others- not for their sakes, but for the sake of our own health and well being. “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19, 20, NIV. Our anger can make us physically sick. According to wellness author Debbie Strong, anger can literally ruin one’s health. She points out that anger- especially outbursts- increases the risk to the heart, ups the risk of a stroke, weakens the immune system, makes anxiety worse, and is linked to depression. “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”” Mark 11:25, NIV. For our own sake, we must release our feelings of anger and make every effort to forgive those who have offended us. In a recent article in Psychology Today, Dr. Abigail Brenner outlines 5 benefits of forgiving others: 1) When we forgive someone, we forgive ourselves. 2) Forgiving gets us out of a victim’s mindset 3) Forgiveness frees us 4) Forgiveness helps our health 5) Forgiveness helps us to move forward on our spiritual path. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14, 15, NIV. The greatest value of maintaining forgiveness is not for the offender, but for those offended. Holding onto offenses is like those offended drinking poison and expecting the offender to drop dead. Getting angry and staying angry can have a serious side effect. It’s called bitterness, and it can do terrible things to the human body and soul. From Barbara Brown Taylor- Once on a trip to Atlanta I stopped at a gift shop to buy a couple of wedding presents, some nice brass picture frames, which I asked the clerk to wrap. “Well, what is the occasion?” the clerk snarled. “Are you going to tell me or am I supposed to guess?” I looked at her for the first time and I saw a woman whose brow was all bunched up over two hard, cold eyes. Her mouth turned down at the sides like she had just tasted something rancid, and she had both her hands planted on the glass counter, learning against it with such malice that I thought she might push it over on me if I irritated her any more. Generally speaking, i get mad when someone comes at me like that, but this time I just got scared because I could see what her anger had done to her, and I wanted to get away from it before it did something similar to me.”