Looking For Answers In The Garbage

A preacher told a story of a man in Hawaii looking in the garbage for food. He saw this man pick up a partially eaten hamburger from McDonald's. After getting this food, he sat down -- and before he ate it, he actually bowed his head in prayer, giving thanks for this food.

For that man, his particular situation didn't allow for him to look for food in more ideal places -- such as in a restaurant or in a supermarket. He had to either beg for food or look for it in the garbage -- and by looking in the garbage, he found some treasure that he was thankful for.

In your situation, sometimes you may have to look for answers in some of the most unlikely places. Just like with this homeless man, you may need to find your answers in places where you don't want to dig.

Just recently, I landed a full-time job working third shift. What's my job? Sorting. I sort through mail and packages from 9 pm to 4 am almost everyday. Getting this job was something I never wanted to do. My dream was to have a thriving, sustainable business where I could spend my time with my family and do something that I really cared about. But until that business happens, I'm stuck sorting through mail.

However, for my situation, getting this job was actually the answer I've been looking for. Since our income has been shaky, growing our business was a problem. Now that I have steady income coming in, we could actually start  growing our business. My wife would focus her attention on business while I bring steady income in. While this situation was NOT ideal for me, it was the situation I was put in. The answer I was looking for wasn't going to be in an ideal place: it was going to be in "the garbage."

The "garbage" is the place where you don't expect to find the answers -- and it's the place where you don't want the answers to be in. Ask the homeless man if he likes finding nourishment in trash. He'd much rather eat IN a restaurant, not in a restaurant's dumpster. But for his current situation, he has to find answers in places where his situation allows.

Many of us are in non-ideal situations in life. But despite your situation, you could still find the answers that you're looking for if you're willing to look in places that you don't want to look in.

My sister is another example of looking in unlikely places for answers. She went through 9 months of training to be a medical assistant, but she cannot find a job in this field. She's working in home aide care hoping that it would give her some kind of relevant experience to help her get a medical assisting job. One day, maybe her working in home aide care would help her land a job as a medical assistant. But right now, her situation (which is having a lack of any kind of medical experience) only allows her to look for answers in non-ideal places -- which is to say, she has to look in "the garbage."

Some of you shop at the Goodwill, or some mission-type store that sells items at cheap, cheap prices. These places are obviously for the disadvantaged, and it doesn't always feel good shopping there, does it? But even those stores could have some really, REALLY nice items! No, you didn't buy that nice blazer or those cute shoes from Macy's or Bloomingdale's or Sak Fifth Avenue -- but nevertheless, you got what you needed in "the garbage."

Some of you live in apartments that you don't care for, or in neighborhoods that you don't care for. Some of you drive cars you don't like. Some of you have jobs that you hate. No, you're not living in a mansion in North Raleigh, or driving a Lexus, or working at your "dream job." Nevertheless, you have what you need because you went through "the garbage."

All of us, in one way or another, have to start off in the garbage. But here's the thing: you could still find treasure in the most unlikely places.

Ask that homeless man if he felt more nourished eating that hamburger that he found in the garbage. He'd tell you that he feels stronger now that he got food in his belly. Or ask me if I am able to pay my bills now that I have steady income coming in. No, neither of us found our answers in the pretty places, but nevertheless, we found our answers. We found what we needed, and what we find would take us to higher places. At the moment, I cannot get to that higher place right away, but I could get help getting there by what I find in the "garbage."

For some of you, maybe my ZUMBA fitness class is considered the "garbage." Maybe you'd much rather see yourself at a big box gym, but you just have no money to afford it. Or maybe you'd rather have personal training sessions, but can't afford it. Coming to my class is like digging in the garbage for answers -- but if you've experienced some wonderful results by taking my class, then what you found in the garbage has taken you to a higher place.

The next time you walk by a dumpster, just remember that everything in there isn't trash -- especially if you live in America. If you're willing to do some digging and get a little stinky, you might find something that will help you go to the next level in your life. Be willing to dig in the trash. Be willing to look for your answers in the unlikely places. Don't be so prideful as to think that some things are beneath you. But even if something is beneath you, just remember that stepping stools are beneath your feet and they could help you reach for something that you couldn't reach on your own.