Trash baskets

I had a conversation with my youngest child yesterday. She is a passionate type of soul and has her mothers quick wit and sharp tongue. Her gut reaction to adversity is that someone is intentionally attacking her and trying to harm her. I get it. We all have felt, at times, that if a n y t h i n g goes wrong, the person responsible was intentionally trying to harm us.

The question then should be, do we go through our lives trying to intentionally harm those we love? Do we say and do things to make others feel bad, on purpose? I am guessing for most of the mentally healthy and stable population, this just is not the case. It was an "accident".

My pastor tells a cute story of a child repeating the Lord's Prayer and instead of saying trespasses, he says trash baskets. "Forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those that put trash in our baskets." How much trash is in your basket? Is it preventing you from seeing the person putting trash in your basket as a glorious image bearer of God?

I understand all too well, there are broken people in the world that love to harm others for selfish gain. It is intentional and it is wrong. It also does not mean we have to keep their trash in our basket. Let that stuff go. Don't be so full of bitterness, that you can't receive love, joy and peace. Be full of the Holy Spirit, so out of the wellspring of your very soul comes the good fruits of a life lived in relationship with the Most High God.

It is time to take out the trash! In Jesus name, Amen.