Law of the Garbage Truck
If the weather isn’t too sketchy, I usually ride my bike around town rather than drive. Often I can get where I am going fast enough for me because of traffic, and the bonus is a little exercise and really seeing, feeling, smelling, and being part of the world around me.
Watching drivers as I go, much of daily life can be seen in their cars: Eating, applying make-up, talking, singing, arguing, texting, and more. Most drivers give bikes space and let me merge at roundabouts, but there are a few who take offense to me sharing the road. I’ve been bullied, yelled at, flipped off, but never outright hit…yet.
I also have to assume I’m not seen on the bike, even with lights and bright clothes. Just the other day while driving I almost took out a guy on a bike that I swear just appeared out of nowhere (in my defense, he was wearing dark clothes and riding against traffic). While riding, I’m careful and try to be courteous, but I have to admit, it frosts my flakes when I’m the one being targeted with the single-finger salute.
Then I read this story.
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.
So I asked, “Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!”
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.”
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage—frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it, and sometimes they’ll dump it on you.
Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t.
The Law of the Garbage Truck is true for everyone, and especially for those of us who are Jesus followers. Over and over in the scriptures we find calls for living counter to the culture…and today’s culture begs for aggressive reactions to even the smallest slights.
It used to be just the Jerry Springer crowd, but now just try to avoid marinating in anger. It’s a challenge. Everywhere we turn, confrontation has become normal.
Karens and Kens pitching fits
Road ragers driving crazily
Tantrum throwers making scenes
Talk radio hotheads igniting division
Mud-slinging politicians demonizing opponents
But listen again, as though for the first time, to what Paul counsels the church in Rome, who were surrounded by an assertive culture (think bread and circuses, gladiators, unfounded accusations, and undeserved punishment).
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
If you really start to live like this, more than a few people will think you are some kind of nutjob. Surely people will try to take advantage of you over and over. But since you and I are forgiven and freed from carrying around garbage, what goes along with that newness is choosing not to deliver any more of it to others. Simply, it doesn’t seem I have a “right” to be easily offended, triggered, riled-up if I’m to be like Jesus.
Think about how different life might look for you if you lived your days unoffendable.
A quirky author I enjoy, Brant Hansen, noodles this idea of not rising to every offense or when you are done wrong by someone with this conclusion.
What does this not mean? That what they did is fine, or that I must stay in relationship with them. What does this mean? Taking Jesus seriously and obeying Him.
When people first seriously consider living life unoffended, they say something like, “Wait, my anger isn’t righteous anger?”
But when I make the case, and people apply this teaching of Jesus to their lives, they find great freedom.
They change their expectations of the world, and they’re daily humbled with the understanding of how much God has done for them.
They learn not to try to control other people.
They start seeing people through more compassionate eyes, as God sees them.
They don’t lie awake at night roiling with anger.
Their relationships improve.
They have a more joyful life.
Looking at that list at the end of his quote, I want those things, and so do you. So, friends, the Law of the Garbage Truck carries enough value to put it into practice. And this is truly one of those “counter to the culture” attitudes and actions that will grow in fits and starts.
Lately as I biked around town in the recent cold inversion fog, I’ve test-ridden the Law. It’s interesting to imagine what load each person driving next to me carries: Burdens, fears, disappointments, worries, or grief. Not all do, to be sure, but probably more than anyone else is aware of.
Just maybe if I respond more like the taxi driver and less like another rager, his load might be shifted just a bit. Come to think of it, that sounds a little like how I picture Jesus in his day. Imagine that.
Music for the road traveled…
Lame jokes for the road…
God after making the cow: "You're a cow. Your baby is a calf."
Cow: "Ask me why I'm tired after giving birth."
God: "Why are you tired after giving birth?"
Cow: "I'm decalfeinated!"
God: "No one in heaven thought that was funny."
Cow: "Are Your angels laughtose intolerant?"
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I went shopping today in Walmart and was behind a grandfather and his badly-behaved grandson. He had his hands full with the child screaming for sweets, cookies, all sorts of things.
The granddad is saying in a calm, controlled voice: "Easy, William, we won't be long... easy, boy."
Another outburst followed, and I heard the granddad say again: "It's okay, William. Just a couple more minutes and we'll be out of here. Hang in there, boy."
At the checkout, the little terror is throwing items out of the cart. Granddad still stays cool: "William, William, relax buddy, don't get upset. We'll be home in five minutes, stay cool, William."
I was seriously impressed, so I followed them out to the parking lot. As he was loading the groceries and the boy into the car, I said, "It's none of my business, but you were amazing in there. I don't know how you did it. That whole time, you kept your composure. No matter how loud and disruptive little William was. He is very lucky to have you as his granddad."
"Thanks," said the Granddad. "But I am William. The spoiled brat's name is Kevin."