Leach

I was driving my kids to daycare one morning, and there was a garbage truck in front of me. I began to notice a name of the back of the garbage truck. The name was Leach; I assume this must be a company that deals in solid waste management. I also, observed the back of the garbage truck. The back of the garbage truck was nasty, pieces of old garbage had stained the truck, and not even the solid waste workers wanted to be around it (everyone rode up front). I began to realize this is how we potentially look, when we try and hold on to everyone’s problems. I don’t want to a receptacle for people’s problems. As I was continuing to drive to work, I also realized that this truck named Leach picks up garbage. People don’t put their garbage in the actual solid waste truck, people leave garbage on the side of the road and at a designated time, solid waste will pick it up. Why is that so significant? The reason is that we as Christian can be vessels to help people express emotions over a problem that will drive them to have a conversation with God, in which they will cast all there burdens upon him. Like it says in Psalms 55:22 “cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you…” The thing that we as Christians should not be doing is picking up other people’s garbage (Problems or cares) that they have left before the Lord. God will handle all of our concerns and problems, I am pretty sure he does not need us to deliver another person’s problem. This is a tendency that many Christians have today, once someone has decided to leave a burden, situation, or an issue with the Lord; someone else will come right behind that person and pick that problem up and start all kinds of mess. I often believe that is why many Christians agree openly about James 5: 16, but rarely use it personally. The reason is after I have confess my sins to you, and you pray for me and I for you; the question becomes “Can I now trust you to leave what was confess in the Lord’s hand?” We as body of Christ has to stop taking other people’s burdens and using them against them in some way or another. If we continue to be spiritual solid waste trucks, we potentially risk having the characteristics of a spiritual garbage truck. Everything that others have thrown out of their life, we potentially can begin to smell, look, and sound like spiritual garbage. I write this to encourage someone that you are NOT a spiritual garbage truck. You are a vessel that is available for God to use in order to help someone get delivered. You are a blessing, not a burden-broadcaster. Your name is not Leach, and you are not the solid waste vehicle. You are a child of God that believes when sins are confessed to you, praying will take place, followed by healing next. You can restore people back to the body of Christ with kind words and humble heart, with fervent prayer. You are that righteous person that is written about in James 5:16 and your prayer is powerful & effective. Amen