Time To Rid Out

Wednesday is our trash and recycling day.
The burgundy colored trash truck is heard before it is seen.
The men that have our route are incredibly punctual.
They take their job very seriously.

I can set a clock by them.
I usually hear the trash truck even before it turns onto our street.
The truck passes by when I’m on my morning walk.
I know that I will get a big wave from each of the trash men.

No matter the weather, they show up.
If it is 90 degrees, they come down the street right on schedule.
If it is well below freezing, they are faithful to their customers.
Even in the snow and ice, they still remove our trash.

There have only been a handful of times when they were not able to make their rounds.
As soon as they are able, they are right back on our street doing what they are hired to do.
Many workers could take a lesson from these two men.
They perform a necessary service to the community.

Years ago, I went to a Women of Faith conference.
One of the speakers was Gloria Gaither.
I remember her talking about going through her closets.
I remember her talking about giving away her clothes.

Gloria is a Christian songwriter and author.
She is married to Bill Gaither.
Together they have written over 700 songs.
Many of their songs are songs we sing at church.

Gloria talked about going through her closets periodically.
She pulls out clothes that have not been worn in a while.
She makes a large pile.
I related to her since I do that often and have taught my children to do the same.

We make our give-away pile.
With five children, those bags of clothes could be quite full.
I always prayed that the clothes we were giving away would be a blessing to someone else.
I always hoped that my children’s clothes would have new life with other children.

I remember thinking how much I liked Gloria as I listened to her speak.
We were both on the same page.
She said something that day that has stuck with me all these years.
What I called going through my closets, Gloria called, ridding out.

I rid out! She said enthusiastically.
And it feels so good! She added.
I could relate.
It did feel good.

Gloria talked about how important it is to rid out.
She went beyond her closets to her life and mine.
We need to rid out things that have sat there far to long.
We need to rid out things that have become habit or routine; things that are not beneficial.

I am sure that every woman in that arena was thinking as Gloria spoke.
She may have been thinking about something in her life that needed ridding out.
She may have been thinking about a friendship or a relationship that has lingered far too long.
She may have been thinking about a sin that remains despite her best effort.

Rid out!

I think about ridding out when I see the trash truck come up my street.
I think about ridding out when I see larger items that are at the end of a driveway.
Items that require both trash men to lift onto the truck.
Items that are no longer useful or items that have broken and no longer work properly.

I am sure the trash men can tell a lot about their customers from looking at their trash.
I am sure they can tell a lot about their customers from looking at their recycling.
Nothing is hidden when you sift through the trash.
What you rid out often says more about you than what you keep.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. (Colossians 3:5-15)

This is ridding out!
This is taking an inventory of what has been around too long and getting rid of it.
We cannot do this kind of ridding out on our own.
We need the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin and then we must repent and turn away from it.

What can you put out to the curb?
What can you pull out of your closet?
What has been lingering far too long in the far corners of your life?
What needs ridding out?

There is nothing so invigorating as ridding out.
There is nothing so freeing as removing what is old and stale and detrimental to our lives.
There is nothing better than letting go of baggage that we have had far too long.
It is healthy and necessary to rid out.

God loves to help us rid out through the power of the Holy Spirit.
After all, the Holy Spirit is our Counselor.
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter.
We do not rid out alone.

What can you remove from your life that is hindering your walk with God?
What can you put out by the curb to be removed and tossed into the landfill?
God knows all about out trash; there is nothing hidden from Him.
Allow Him to see it, and remove it, and replace it with a new self that is being renewed.

Only then will Christ’s peace rule in our hearts.