A year ago, after I retired, a friend contacted me and asked
if I would be interested in walking with him for exercise each morning. He is a couple of years younger than me and
not ready for full-time retirement but he had just had knee replacement surgery
and needed the exercise. I am the ideal
weight for a man who is 6’ 4”. I am 5’ 7” so I am not overweight but ‘under-tall’. Since
I have been unsuccessful at growing the needed inches I guess the exercise couldn’t
hurt.
Anyway he comes to my house at 7 am and we walk a couple of
miles through my neighborhood. Since we
are both ministers our conversation often consists of how we would fix the
problems of the world. As a chronic
early riser I have usually flipped through most of the news channels before he
arrives to see what happened while I slept.
This usually depresses me and I promised him I would not use the time while
we are walking to gripe about the declining state of so many situations in the
world. However, I never dreamed what God
had in store to inspire me on our morning walks.
Every Tuesday morning the garbage men make the rounds in my
neighborhood picking up the garbage. I
know they are now often referred to as sanitation workers but political correctness
has never been my strong suit. Anyway,
the large truck comes down the street with two workers on the back and they
stop in front of each house to make their weekly collection. The two guys hop off and collect the trash from
the container we have left out by the street, if we don’t forget to put it out
on Monday evening.
They have become accustomed to seeing us and we exchange
friendly waves but one of the guys who ride the back of the truck is always especially
friendly and displays a positive and inspiring attitude. He doesn’t seem to be bothered by the weather
or the task at hand, which is not the most pleasant and fragrant way to make a
living. Now I realize that we are not to
be judgmental but most of us would not seek to grow up to become garbage collectors. Those jobs are not typically the most glamorous
and are not usually at the upper end of the pay scale. And if I wound up in that vocation I would
rather be the guy who drives the big truck sitting in the warm cab away from
the weather and odors rather than the guy hanging on the back that picks up the
trash. But here he is, hanging on the
back exposed to weather unpleasant odors but every week always giving an
enthusiastic greeting and as they drive away he encourages us to “Have
a blessed day!”
He reminds me of two verses, first Philippians 4:12-13 tells
us that the secret to finding contentment in life is not based on wealth,
success or positive circumstances. Paul
was unjustly imprisoned when all he was doing was sharing the good news of Jesus
when he wrote; “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether
well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this
through him who gives me strength.” Contentment is found in doing all
things through Jesus who gives us strength for the situation.
The second verse is 1 Corinthians 10:31. That same apostle Paul, wrote the following
to remind believers that everything we do; our words, deeds, work, recreation…WHATEVER
we do should honor God: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you
do, do it all for the glory of God.”
I know we live in a sin-scarred unjust world where bad
things happen to good people. I know
that life can throw us unexpected situations the discourage us. It is easy to get downcast when we see all
the injustice in the world and life seems unfair as things don’t go our way or
the way we expected them to go. But if a
guy can get up early every morning and know that his day will consist of
hanging on the back of a smelly garbage truck collecting more garbage for
minimal pay and do it consistently with a positive attitude while shouting
blessings to inspire two old preachers, why can’t we inspire and bless someone we
may encounter today?
