Going Green

Sunday's sermon at church as titled "Going Green." I wasn't sure where the minister was going to go when he began, but Adam and I both agreed it was one of the best sermons we had heard him deliver. I took a page of notes so I could remember and think more about what "Going Green" would mean in my life.

The verse is from the book of Romans, Chapter 6 vs. 1-9.

First the minister talked about how we are taught that things are disposable from our very first days on earth. Example: we use disposable diapers on our babies. From the very beginning, children see us use and throw away. (Though this is a good example, the minister did say that he was not saying that disposable diapers were a bad idea!) This led to a story about Rev. Adkins father-in-law who lives near the coast and is very "resourceful." He loves to dumpster dive near the resorts because of the treasures that others have thrown away as trash. He has found whole coolers, still filled with good food and drinks. He has found expensive fishing rods and reels. He even found a $50.00 bill one time! People buy and use items for their vacations and then trash them rather than have to travel home with them. We look at what things are worth and deem them "not worthy" and throw them away. Do we throw people away too?

Then there was the story of Irwin and Martha. Martha was a committed church member, church go-er and church employee. She attended every service, evaluated every attendance roster, ensured that every new member and every guest was welcomed to the church through a personal phone call. Irwin, her husband, did not attend. When asked why, Irwin said "I don't need God right now. I will come to church when I need him." Martha died unexpectedly. At Martha's funeral, Irwin came to the minister and simply said "I cannot find him!" 2 days later Irwin shot himself. He was hanging his head over the dumpster looking for what he had thrown away and he could not find Him. Irwin was probably not looking closely enough because He was there, but Irwin had thrown Him away so long ago that he was unable to find Him. Irwin thought he was bigger then God's simple words. He got lost.

God doesn't slip out of our pockets when we're hanging our heads over the dumpster. He is there. He is with us.

We throw people away, deem them not worthy. We look at what people can do for us and if the answer is "nothing right now," we tend to let them fall out of our pockets into the "proverbial" dumpster.

What or who have you thrown away lately?