Picking up trash is hard for me, like I imagine it is for others.
Here’s a little backstory:
If you know me personally, you’re probably aware of my concern for the environment. I grew up outside of Seattle and didn’t understand that a lot of places in the United States don’t recycle. I didn’t know that “composting” was an unfamiliar word and even more uncommon of a practice. I thought everyone knew about the toxicity of plastic and styrofoam, especially when burned.
These are some of the assumptions I had made because of what “normal” was to me. I have never lived in a place or home that littering was “normal.” But I had never visited a place that didn’t have the laws, infrastructure and enforcement that the US enjoys when it comes to waste management.
The trash situation in Romania really isn’t the worst I’ve seen on the race. We’ve been to countries where kids throw trash out the windows of the building they’re in. We’ve lived in homes that throw it behind the house, into sewers or regularly burn it (that includes cans, plastic bottles, candy wrappers, or popped balloons).
My heart aches when I see litter or smell the smoke that I can tell isn’t coming from burning wood. Seeing how the earth we were gifted with is being treated takes me deep down the rabbit hole of allllllll the world’s problems and our seemingly helpless positions to stop them. And that’s where Jesus showed up.
As I was bending down to pick up yet another discarded cigarette butt from the street, thoughts of that helplessness flooded my brain. I was behind five of my teammates who had already combed this block and had full bags to show for it. And yet I was still. Finding. Trash. How naive I am to think that this problem could be solved in one day! How humbling it was to realize how very small I am and how desperately little I would be able to do for the earth that day. My brain then went to flashes of videos I’ve seen of birds and fish whose stomached are literally filled with plastic. Or the massive patches of oceans nicknamed trash “vortexes” that hold a good chunk of the 5.5 billion tons of plastic that we didn’t reuse, recycle or incinerate.
I thought “God, I could pick up trash every hour of every day for the rest of my life and no one would see a difference.”
And then He reminded me of something.
“But I see you.”
GAH. He does see me. He sees his earth that He spoke into existence and He sees how far it has fallen. He gently reminds me that it’s His earth, not mine, and that He cares about it more than I do. He is so aware of the rising oceans, the burning trash and the litter that has found its way to the streets of Draganesti-Olt where I found myself that day.
And I was reminded of His commandments in Matthew chapter 6. He tells us that when we give or donate that we are to do it in secret. He warns against “practicing our righteousness in front of others” so that we won’t be motivated by being seen and rewarded. Serve because you love God and want others to know Him. Serve and give and walk in righteousness knowing that He sees you and is pleased.
And as I continued to fill my bag and long for the new earth the Lord has promised us, I tried to remember that even if nobody comes up and pats me on the back for my efforts I can still celebrate that my God sees me. More than that, I celebrate that He created me and this world and has always had a plan to redeem both the earth and myself. We are the ones He chose to save by sending His son to the cross. His son rose from the grave so that one day I, His daughter, might believe in Him and accept His offer of salvation. That I might believe so deeply that I would travel to Draganesti-Olt, Romania and pick up trash one afternoon so that another child of His might see a bit more of His character through my silent service.
And if one single sheep can come back to the fold as a result of me putting on a pair of latex gloves and making one neighborhood a little prettier, then I would pick up trash as long as He asked me to.
Thanks for reading! And if you have any questions about recycling, composting, or anything related to Jesus and his earth, I’m always interested in chatting.
