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Refreshment in Refuge

    by Gina Burgess

Tossing trash out the window
Date Posted: July 7, 2013

Several years ago, I was driving down the highway and just as I got to my turn off something came flying at me from the truck in front of me. This white thing tumbled onto the highway spewing ice and straw and whatever liquid was at the bottom of the cup. It was a government truck, too. You'd think government people would know better ...

It got me to thinking about character and how our actions expose our character when we least expect it. Flaws shine out like light house beacons, or personality strengths take on the glow of heroes at work. Throughout life we learn certain things about people from their actions.

In first grade, I learned that a tattle-tale has no sense of honor, and just wants to get as many people in trouble as possible. (She'll grow up to steal your boyfriend if given half a chance, mark my words!) I learned that red check marks on your report card aren't a good thing, but generally mean that "You talk too much"... Moi?

Later, I learned that many people will say one thing but when your back is turned will do or say something entirely different. Those people could not be trusted. If they commit to a thing, they will most likely not follow through with it. I learned that the people who followed through with what they promised could be trusted in the big things as well as the little things.

Even later, I learned that entrusting money to a spendthrift only made that person's bad money management even worse. I also learned that when someone kept your secret, they could be trusted in a personal crisis as well. Hannah knew deep in her heart how much God had to do with the deeds of people 1 Samuel 2:3 Stop your loud boasting; silence your proud words. For the LORD is a God who knows, and he judges all that people do.

People that throw things out the window are the kind of humans that expect others to fix their messes; who will spew their emotional trash around for everybody to hear, never caring about other's feelings. Those people will carry around anger and bitterness and like an avalanche drop it all over some unsuspecting victim, with never a thought about it... leaving the mess in their wake, never looking back.

God has a lot to say about wisdom and He is not silent on what our actions say about our character.

Proverbs 16:9 You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.

Proverbs 19:3 Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the LORD.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 I thought long and hard about all this and saw that God controls the actions of wise and righteous people, even their love and their hate. No one knows anything about what lies ahead.

Beware of people who throw trash out their windows. They will likely expect you to pick up after them.

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Biography Information:

Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.

She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.

If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon

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