Scavengers

Our trash day is on Wednesday.
We are required to put our trash out the night before because our trash men come so early.
I appreciate them and their dedication.
I usually see them on my walk and wave to them each week.

This weekend, because we had a picnic, we had more people and more trash.
The large trash bin wasn’t able to close properly.

I am not the only one out early in the morning.
So are the crows!
How they love to feast on the trash of others.

Maybe that is why I appreciate our trash men so much.
They serve us well.
They do not have the pleasantest job!

Here I am, 6:30 in the morning, cleaning up uneaten food the crows left on the road.
It is not very appetizing to see delicious food that I love to prepare, strewn on the street.
The crows left things like paper towels and tea bags.
They ate things like hamburgers and rolls from our picnic.

Anyone could see what we had for dinner the past few days.
And the crows are not even quiet about it!
They “caw” and “caw” announcing the fact that they are feasting on garbage.

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah. “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening and he drank from the brook. (1 Kings 17:2-6)

When my youngest daughter was small, we had our devotions each morning.
I read the passage about Elijah to her.
She looked very concerned as I read, and I asked her what was wrong.
Thinking she was troubled that the ravens fed Elijah, her answer surprised me.

Mommy, the Bible says that Elijah was fed his breakfast and his dinner.
What about his lunch?

I always smile when I think of her innocence.

It was not permissible to eat any kind of scavenger bird, as noted in the book of Leviticus.(11:13-19)
Yet God used an unclean bird to feed his prophet, Elijah.

I thought of that as I cleaned up the mess the crows left on the street and driveway.
Yet, I thought of much more.

The crows feast on garbage.
How about us?

We may eat in a five star restaurant, but what are we feeding our mind?
We may detest cleaning up after crows, but have we cleaned up our DVD’s?
Have we sifted through our books, magazines, bookmarks on the computer?
Are we feasting on garbage as well?

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Kingdom living is holy living.
Every day, we are to be closer to our Lord Jesus than we were the day before.
Day by day, as the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, we are to be more like Him.

There is no room for garbage in God’s kingdom.
We are to feast on HIM…not on the trappings of this world.

I swept up the remaining food scraps…smelly, disgusting, not appetizing at all.
I thought of what I might need to sweep out of my own life.
What needs to be thrown away and placed in a trash can with the lid tightly shut?

I don’t want to be a scavenger for the things of this world.
The only thing I want to search for is the wisdom that is in God’s Word.
There, I will find Him.

So, broom in hand.
Trash can ready.
Garbage sifted.
Lid shut tight.

The cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15)

Swept clean.
Refreshing!