by Marlene Evans

Beware of the garbage disposal network which is alive and will be alive as long as there are hurt people who have not given their hurts to God and have not developed a daily walk with God. We should pray for these folks but run from conversations with them.

Very few Christians have a strong enough walk with the Lord to enable them to turn the conversation to the good without leaving the hurt person more deeply hurt.

First we need to be sure we are appropriating the love of God to ourselves in such a way that we are not a chief member of this network ourselves. Then, following are some ways to help recognize people of the garbage disposal network:

  • They want to get you alone for a little talk as soon as they see you.
  • They never seem to know about the good things that have been happening.
  • They often start out with an innocent sounding question such as, “What do you think about _____ (a person in trouble?” It is someone they are wanting to discuss.
  • The don’t seem to want to hear about a big day at church, a good book just published, or someone getting saved.
  • The good doesn’t seem to faze them because it seems as if their minds are so focused on the bad that they don’t even hear the good.
  • They seem to shrug off the good and go right back to the rundown of the bad.
  • They seem to want desperately to be understood and yet show so little understanding of those who disappointed them.
  • In the Christian world these folks tend to dwell on a few Christian leaders who have fallen, sensational divorces, seldom mentioning the hundreds of fine Christian leaders and marriages they know.
  • You will find these people in every walk of life – on the job, in the church, or in a family. I please with you to have compassion on them but not to let them ruin your life or even your disposition for the day.
  • If you are ever able to make a difference in their lives it will most likely not be because of the time you spent listening to them, but because you “…have compassion, making a difference.” (Jude 22)