Posts Tagged: real heroes
“HEROIC TRASH COLLECTOR”
My trash collector and I had an interesting exchange the other morning. I was out walking, and he said, “Hello, Doctor!”
I replied, “You make me laugh when you call me ‘Doctor’!”
He countered, “Well, I think that getting your Ph.D. is an amazing accomplishment.”
“I’m more relieved than amazed, I guess,” I replied.
And then, he took off his glove, and said, “I’d like to shake your hand, if that would be alright.”
“I would be honored,” I replied.
“I work hard, but you have brains,” he said.
My trash collector has been doing his job for twenty-four years. He told me in a conversation a few years ago that he had encountered people who has cursed at him for slowing them down in their cars, drunks who had threatened to fight, and bees and wild animals who stung and bit him. He is now having knee problems, and has to take cortisone shots every few weeks in order to help him to do his job without quite as much pain.
A few years ago, I forgot to put my trash out one week, and then we went on vacation. After we came back, I was taking a walk on trash day. He stopped me and asked, with obvious anxiety, “Are you all alright? I didn’t pick up your trash for a couple of weeks, and was worried about you!”
Years ago, I said to a medical student with whom I was acquainted, “I’m not too fond of doctors, but I suppose that we owe a lot to you, including the fact that we are all living longer.” His response surprised me.
“Well, actually,” he said, “you likely owe that to the garbage collectors.” He went on to explain that the sanitation folks had done a great deal to cut down on infections and even plagues.
Humm!
So, back to my recent conversation with my trash collector.
“I think,” I said to him, “that people like you, who do necessary jobs faithfully, are the real heroes.” And then I added, “I’d like to shake your hand, if that would be alright.”
“I would be honored,” he said.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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