‘Garbage Mary’

Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word. — James 1:21

She dressed in rags, lived in a tenement house amid mounds of garbage, and spent much of her time rummaging through trash cans. The local newspaper picked up her story after the woman who was known in her neighborhood as "Garbage Mary" had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Astonishingly, in her filthy apartment police found stock certificates and bankbooks indicating she was worth at least a million dollars.

This woman’s condition was heartbreaking. But from God’s point of view there are even more tragic examples of "wealthy" people who subsist on "garbage." If Christians are controlled by lust, hate, envy, pride, impatience, or bitterness, they’re actually choosing to live off the refuse of the world.

This might be understandable if they had no resources to draw from. You’d expect that kind of behavior from people without faith in Christ. But that’s not the case for believers. We have the Word of truth and the help of the Holy Spirit. We have no excuse for groveling in the dirt of sin when the power of God is at our disposal.

Father, forgive us for eating "garbage" when You’ve prepared a banquet for us. Help us to "lay aside filthiness" (James 1:21) and to feast on Your goodness. — Mart De Haan

Choose not the lowly paths of sin

When lofty heights before you rise;

God freely gives the power to win

The victor’s crown, the heavenly prize. — D. De Haan

READ: Ephesians 5:1-13

One taste of God’s grace can make us lose our hunger for the world.

The Bible in one year:

• Leviticus 8-10

• Matthew 25:31-46