Scented Trash Bags

(image courtesy: google images)

“‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside  but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.’”- Matthew 23:27-28

I bought some trash bags the other day that said “Lavender Scented”. My wife and I agree they actually smell like some form of cologne that would most likely attract a wild buffalo.

I kind of laugh at the idea of scented trash bags, but I still buy them because they’re the same cost and who doesn’t like opening a trash can that smells like their grandpa.

Anyway, as I was putting in the trash bag today, it got me thinking about the purpose of these bags and our spiritual life.

The scent of the bag might be great, but no matter what, the content of the bag is still garbage. The scent hides it and detracts from it, but if you take time to observe the internal aspect of the bag, it is gross - especially when you have a baby’s dirty diapers and half eaten apples or bananas from your 3 year-old.

This goes for us.

We can make ourselves look great on the outside. We can wear the right clothes. We can use the same Bible verses that we might have learned in Sunday school. We might say the right “spiritual” quotes to help our friends. We might even show up to church regularly.

However, our internal junk still influences us. The nice scent we give off might just be a distraction in order to hide the garbage within.

We can make ourselves look as good as we want, but we know what we have inside.

We need to be aware of our trash. We need to know that there might be stuff inside of us that stinks and the smell will leak out when we get easily angered or gossip about people. We might have our smell leak when we find enjoyment in someone else’s demise. We might have our trash spill out if the bag when we spew hatred or smear someone else’s name just because we don’t like them.

The grudges you carry are trash. The hate you hold is a dirty diaper. What’s that rotten banana smell? Oh, that’s your gossip, wrath, jealousy, bitterness, grumpiness, and/ or (fill in the blank).

You have to handle your trash. You need to continually seek forgiveness and restoration. It doesn’t happen overnight, in fact, every day you will have things that seep in that fill up your bag. You need to seek Jesus to truly clean it out, daily!  

The scented bag can only mask the smell, but sooner or later the scent fades and the true trash will be revealed.

May we be willing to handle our garbage. May we be willing to seek Jesus to truly bring healing and restoration within, so we may not merely be giving off a fake scent, but His true aroma for His glory.

Your life will be better and those around you might truly enjoy your presence as well.

Peace and blessings friends.

QUESTION: How do you seek cleansing when you know your trash is piling up?