As I write about this “encounter,” I’m almost coming out of my nylons. God is giving me His passion of “living an intentional life,” looking for and loving those in my daily walk. Trust me, on this story I didn’t even need to leave my home to experience it.
My mentors on this unique outreach adventure were my parents. My mother would bake each week. At first we thought she was baking for my Dad, but there was another man in her life that was the benefactor of her baking agenda at the beginning of the week.
Each week my parents would be ready for their “garbage guy” as they affectionately called him. My Dad’s assignment was to perch himself by the front living room window watching for when he heard the garbage truck approaching. At this time he would yell for Mom, and she’d bring a brown bag to the front door and wait until the garbage man brought in their trash can. After he’d bring in their can, he would make a bee-line for their front door where Mom would give him the package of homemade goodies. It was cookies or banana bread or whatever she felt like baking that week.
He would happily hop back into his truck, and off the “pick up the garbage guys” went to service all the neighbors in their neighborhood. One week my Dad missed the arrival of the garbage truck. My Mom wasn’t happy about that. Never mind, they weren’t going to get upset about it, but they sure weren’t about to have any regrets either.
So, they jumped into their car and drove all over the neighborhood looking for the large green garbage truck. They knew when they found the truck, they’d find their man!
They made the “customary delicious delivery” and returned home. The following week, you guessed it, my Dad was very much more alert.
The bug bit me…..and I wanted to follow suit wherever we lived. My approach was a little different as I didn’t have the time to “watch and wait” for my sanitation engineer’s arrival. I would tie a plastic bag to our garbage can, and I informed our collector that when he saw a bag tied to the can, it was “his goodie bag.” Believe me I could tell you stories of how that’s impacted others, well beyond the garbage guy. But here’s my recent “outburst of joy” that God gave me…..while living in Canada.
In another story, I shared when I was a care-giver for my Mom and that our garbage guy wouldn’t allow me to bring in our can for years. Since moving to another country, Canada, I wondered what would happen if I did the same thing in another culture. I discovered that people just love to be loved on, irrespective of where they live, or what their cultural, religious, ethnic, or socio-economic background is.
I like to refer to my garbage man as my ‘personal sanitation engineer.” We were new in the area and I watched for his arrival in the big yellow rubbish truck. They have new trucks now, so the men just pull up to your trash can, and pull or press and lever, and a pair of steel arms protrude out, grab your can, dump the contents into the truck, and place it back at the curb. Because of the new design of the truck, I needed to meet our garbage guy and explain what my plan of action would be for him each week.
The big day arrived, Friday. I paced and peered out my front window waiting for his arrival. Oh my goodness, who in their right mind WAITS for the arrival of the garbage man? Well, I do, because I was wanting to see what GOD WOULD DO with this tiny outreach of the love of Christ.
When he pulled up I was “ready for him.” He saw me parked by the can, and I waved and yelled out that I had something for him. I began to explain my Friday agenda. He had a look of surprise on his face, but after peering into the bag that this stranger gave him, a smile appeared from ear to ear.
Can you guess what happened next? Yep, he took in my can and hasn’t allowed me to take it in since. I went out the following week to bring in the can, but he said that he was going to do that in the future and that I wasn’t to touch it. He does this every week. As I pray for our neighbors every Thursday, this young man has been a lovely addition to that list.
Remember the movie Chariots of Fire, when the runner said “When I run, I feel His pleasure.” Well, this is what I feel every week when I attach a goodie bag to our garbage can. I feel such joy that I feel as if I’m going to pop!
Before Christmas the first year, I phoned the company to find out his name. Then just before Christmas, I wrote a long, complimentary letter to his boss about his excellent contagious attitude, and his pleasant disposition. I informed them that this young man’s approach and attitude was such an asset to their company, and that he was worth his weight in gold. I mailed the letter to this man’s supervisor and placed two copies of the letter in his goodie bag.
The following week, when I saw him (and no I don’t wait for him by the window each week) he hopped out of the truck and gave me a big hug. Yes, I wonder what the neighbors think…but by now I think they’ve caught on to the goodie bag. His pleasure at what I did leeched out of his skin and he let me know that the company gave him a “gift certificate” to a local coffee shop as a little reward for his good service. One of these days I look forward to sharing Christ with this man, and giving him a copy of my story of why, and how, I became a Christian.
When we love others in practical ways, we can say almost anything to them. Why? Because they know we appreciate them and love them with the love of the Lord in a visual and felt way. Simple, practical actions speak “loudly” Christ’s love to lost souls.
Matthew 10:42 is one of my favorite verses because like a cup of cold water, God reminds me that He notices, uses and blesses every tiny little thing we do for others on His behalf.
This endeavor may never make the news, but tiny little “expressions of grace and care” never miss the eye of our Lord. Oh the joys of living out the love of God, and continually being a tangible expression of Jesus Christ’s love.
Most of the time we all live “ordinary, oatmeal lives.” There are no events that would draw attention to a newspaper, it’s just everyday living. And in our everyday, we have “divine opportunities” sprinkled around us waiting to happen as we reach out with a smile, a hug, a goodie bag or just a look of approval to another. People are waiting for our 1 Peter 2:17 approach….they are waiting to be noticed.
Let’s be “intentional” in looking out for our mailman, garbage collector, supermarket checkout clerk, or people we pass on a walk. We all have “divine opportunities” rather regularly, don’t you see that? We just need the lens of our focus, adjusted so that we see others as He does.
Cups of Cold Water 