Trash

In most downtown cities, homeless people are a dime a dozen. Dirt streaked bag ladies limping past. Fuzzy bearded men clutching empty McDonald's cups to catch a few flying quarters.  A person, man or woman, shrouded in a ratty blanket underneath a bus shelter. They can blend into the background of life, barely catching anyone's eye. 

But this one did. 

One afternoon, I saw a man sifting through a garbage can. He was an older man, around 50. It was obvious he was looking for food. People breezed past him, often cutting a wide turn to avoid any contact with him. But for some reason, he touched a tender part of me. I went into a nearby store, bought some food from a hot bar, and walked over to him. 

"Sir," I said softly. " I have some food for you."

He didn't acknowledge me. I stood in front of him and repeated, "I have some food for you."

But he still didn't respond. As I looked closer at his face, I saw that his eyes were glazed with intent, feverishly pawing through the trash. 

I stood for a few seconds longer but it became obvious that he didn't want the food. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I walked away, leaving him to search for what I was already offering him. 

Months later, God replayed this memory to show me something astounding:

We do this to God all the time. 

When God is handing out abundant and full lives, we ignore it to take part in a fractured conflicted existence.

We say no to healthy loving relationships in favor of toxic dead ones. 

 We refuse His offering of freedom, contentment, and purpose to stay put in our complacent empty niches. 

We take trips to garbage dumps...

We munch on decayed fruit and rotten meat....

We fall asleep on crumbled newspapers and soiled sheets....

Why do we do that when God is giving away,giving away, so much more? 

When He wants to give you so much more than you realize?