Everywhere I Walk

"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin."
~James 4:17 (NASB)

God amazes me. He speaks in the biggest and smallest ways. I was encouraged and inspired by a friend's blog this past week who is currently in the mission field for the entire year of 2011. She blogged about heaven on earth. I truly was inspired by her blog and agreed with it one hundred percent; however, God wanted to instill as well as prove what I had read in my friend's blog - that His written word was not simply for a time hundreds of years ago; however, written very much for today as well.

I work in a challenging place. There is not a great care for ground maintenance. When I speak of ground maintenance, I simply mean - littering. It's easy to walk and see pieces of trash in the halls or on the pavement. This past week, I have clearly witnessed a Pepsi bottle not making it in a trash can and staying on the ground, a granola bar half eaten tossed and left in the hall amongst a few other things. It hit me with the Pepsi bottle that I should pick it up; however, I admit, I did not - it stayed on the ground. Midweek, I kept getting a burden for everything I saw and passed.

Thursday, I saw a red candy wrapper in the hall as I exited my building. I passed it once and even twice. Each time I passed it, a little voice nudged me - you need to pick it up. There was the humanistic nature in me (sin) saying - no, that's gross and filled with germs. The third time I was to pass it, I had enough and James 4:17 kept coming to me. I picked up the candy wrapper. The remaining Thursday and Friday I kept seeing more and more litter. Friday, I saw whole pieces of paper outside of my office building, to which I picked up one piece.

Yes, I have passed up a few things this week knowing I should have done something about it; therefore, I have sinned. And, James 4:17 has really resonated with me. It has spoken to me in huge ways that no matter how big or small the occasion, if I know I am to do something, I need to go forth with it because God commanded me to. Picking up litter, no matter how gross is what God has commanded and by doing so, someone could possibly see Jesus through and in me.

It's my desire and prayer in this open journey to heed more to James 4:17 where I work, even in the litter tasks that interrupt the daily rounds so that I may impact even one life for Jesus by living His example.