The Dung Gate

A friend let me borrow a small utility trailer a while back for use in cleaning out my storage building. It didn’t take long to fill it to the brim and when it became convenient for both of us, he brought his truck to drag the trailer to a huge dumpster city residence can use to dispose of their “junk” to large to set at the curb for normal garbage pick-up. Again he graciously left the trailer with me to fill again with more “stuff” no longer needed or wanted. It took a lot longer to fill the trailer this time because I got lazy about doing the job. When I did get around to it circumstances kept the trailer sitting in my yard for weeks. Well, it got emptied the other day and has been returned to its owner. One thing I noticed while unloading the trailer was this. The weather had deteriorated the contents turning some of the stuff into unrecognizable stinky gook. It would have been a lot easier transferring the contents if I had done it right away instead of procrastinating through weeks of every weather pattern known to man. Hanging on to unwanted stuff too long just makes it harder to get rid of. Lesson learned, again.
Outside my window, a new day I see; And only I can determine what kind of day it will be. It can be busy and sunny, laughing and gay; Or boring and cold, unhappy and gray. My own state of mind is the determining key; For I am the person I let myself be. I can be thoughtful and do all I can to help; Or be selfish and think of only my self. I can enjoy what I do and make it seem fun; Or gripe and complain and make it hard on everyone. I can be patient with those who may not understand; Or belittle and hurt them as much as I can. But I have faith in the Lord and believe when I say; I personally intend to make the best of each day. The author is unknown, but the wisdom is of God.
Did you hear the one about the six-year-old boy who was overheard praying, “…And forgive us our trash passes, as we forgive those who pass trash against us.”
[Nehemiah 3:14] Every day healthy people and healthy cities produce “dung” which must be dealt with in the proper manor or sickness sets in. Remember learning about the European plagues in the Middle Ages? It was finally discovered that the garbage and human waste that was being dumped in the streets were attracting unhealthy rodents and bugs, and poisoning the water supplies. Did you also know that if these people were following some basic principles found in God’s word they would have never confronted the Black Plague? The city of Jerusalem had a gate called the Dung Gate, which we read about in the book of Nehemiah during the time of the rebuilding of the walls of the city. Through this gate all of the unwanted “dung” passed to be dumped outside the city. Today we simply flush it away or put it to the curb for pick up and disposal in a “dung heap” where it cannot bring about illness and death. Physically we live a much healthier life, but spiritually I’m afraid we still have much to learn. And on that point I have to say, if we were to go to God’s word and practice what we find there, depression, anger, hatred, gossip and the like, would become a thing of the past. There are people who are still hanging onto, and sharing, thirty-year-old “dung” harbored in their heart. When you gossip all you’re saying is, “Let me throw some “dung” your way.” Un-expelled “dung” will make you physically sick, and will make you spiritually sick. God has a gate for you to rid yourself of spiritual “dung”. It’s called forgiving and forgetting. Use it daily. TOM