Greatness is in true self-reflection. It is easier to see and be critical in the errors of others than it is to reflect on our personal expressions. Jesus once told his audience: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:3).
Our today’s world can best be described as ‘trash-filled’ society due to the constant decay-like style of living, leadership, relationship, academics and entrepreneurship. People criticise a thing today as cancerous only to find them stand, fight and defend it almost within the same given period. They change opinion recklessly for several conflicting personal interest; it is no longer about opinion or ideology, but about interest, gain and acquisition.
The word ‘trash’ has the connotation for waste, unwanted, rubbish, pollution among others. Trash is defined according to dictionary.cambridge.org as:
• Something that is of low quality
• Waste material or things that are no longer wanted or needed
• An insulting way of referring to a person or people that you have no respect for:
• To throw something away:
• To cause a lot of damage to something:
In the context of our discussion ‘trash’ is anything of no, low or less value, unwanted and inferior to the real and proper ethics of operation.
Proverbs 14:31-15:17; James 4:13-5:11
The world is increasingly drifting from good to worst. There are core factors to life: responsibility, leadership and relationship; what we do with these core factors when granted the privilege of expression determines the stories of our glories.
The world seems to have lost value, honour, conscience, humanity and faith in one another; there is increase in the rate of inhumanity, immorality, greed and shamelessness. We are not to add to the already messed up situation. Before we delve into this: Do we actually agree that there are trashes scattered everywhere in the system? Pause and think!
Looking at the lessons further we discover:
• Don’t mock anyone
• Don’t be wicked
• Don’t be unwise in your dealings
• Do not sin
• Let not your service be with distrust
• Watch your communication and mannerism (Prov 15:1-4, 7).
• Do not despise counsel (Psalm 1).
• Do not disregard your creator (James 4:13-16).
• Do not be corrupted in your riches and acquisition
• Pay others what you owe them
• Your inheritance should not be corrupted
• Do not make pleasure your ultimate focus
Don’t Add To The Trash! The scriptures as seen above, points out what we should do and not do as God’s people:
• The Lord’s warned that we should never mock anyone, irrespective of status or position.
• There are so many trashes in our society and churches today. God is reminding us that we are the light of the world Mathew 5:13-15; therefore, we don’t need to add to the trash.
• In marriage, grooming, cuisine, religion and culture there are a lot of trashes; we must not add more to it.
• Monogamy is God’s ultimate standard for marriage; the marital principle of “one man to one woman” has been foundational before the fall and corruption of Man, but the modern world thinks otherwise don’t add to the trash.
• The sanctity of marriage institution has lost its value; don’t add to the trash.
• In business there is no more trust, but deceit; don’t add to the trash.
• In academics and in politics there are loss of value, trust and honesty; don’t add to the trash.
• What are we going to hand down to the next generation as concerns value, honour, integrity, or we are going to add to the trash.
In the past, the institution of marriage had values; families had values, there was dignity in labour, people regarded honesty and integrity over wealth; for good name was, indeed, better than riches. Today, the quest for wealth; the concept of ‘hustling’ and the gospel of prosperity at the expense of salvation and humanity has polluted the sacredness of life. Don’t add to the trash!
• Maritally, relationship has become contractual.Don’t add to the trash!
• Academically, education has become value for paper over knowledge and experience
• Leadership and position have become more of interest than ideology; people can do anything to get positions, but are careless and reckless on leadership delivery; Don’t add to the trash.
• It is easier to point fingers when others are doing wrong, but fall into the same trash when given the opportunity for expression.
• God through given talents, opportunity and gifts gave men the privilege to meaningfully contribute to life and faith;Don’t add to the trash.
There are a whole lot of trash in religious, political, marital, academic and entrepreneurial platforms. Funny as it is; cultural and traditional institutions are promoting obnoxious traditions with little or no regard and adherence to core value system. Take for instance; people give so much financial investment for a one-hour ceremony of bringing the couple together and careless of upholding the core value system that held our ancestors glued to their spouses. The revival and restoration of evil and obnoxious tradition of the killing of twins; sacrificing human heads at the burial of a ‘supposedly great king’ or the oppression of a widow where if any husband dies before the wife, the wife is responsible for his death and if a woman dies before the man, it is a good omen and the throwing away of corpses to ‘the evil forest’ for not dying properly. These are some culture and traditions, which are upheld in the cultural clusters, but in such places the culture of chastity and value for unity and honesty have become alien.
• Don’t add to the trash.
• We can make a difference.
• Gradually, change can occur.
• Change begins when men intentionally see the need for change
• Be the need you desire.
• Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector,Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State (08035413812)
