God is in the repo business. He loves to take over where others have given up. I was reminded of this when I was dumpster diving the other day. Yes, you read right. I went dumpster diving. For those of you not familiar with this coined term, “dumpster diving” is when perfectly reputable human beings rummage through the garbage for things that others have tossed aside as trash.
It all started on a sunny Friday afternoon when I was barreling down Ballpark Road – the location of our city dump. The closer I got behind the pickup truck ahead of me, the more intrigued I became. There, in the truck bed before me, sat the most adorable scrolled wrought iron chair. Red, nonetheless. My thoughts yelled out, “Surely he isn’t going to the DUMP with that chair!” His right blinker began to pulse along with the beat of my heart as we drew near the garbage sight. Sure enough. The red, wrought iron chair was on its swan song. Well not if I had anything to do with it! I turned my Mustang right around and stalked the chair’s owner until he was out of sight. Sheepishly, I drove up beside the clanky, green dumpster that held the treasure. I wasn’t completely sure if I would be strong enough to lift the chair out, but I was determined to try. The first several attempts were completely unsuccessful. My arms were simply too short. So, I gave up and went home. OF COURSE NOT! Quicker than you could say “free chair”, I had a plan.
You should have seen me edging our red, Mustang convertible up beside that tall dumpster. I hopped up onto the car and began to reach over into the dumpster. The chair had become tangled among a discarded clothesline, yard swing, and a lawn mower. So I gave up and went home. NO! I plunged forward….almost literally! Feeling the staring eyes on me from across the parking lot (I wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion) I summoned my arm muscles to work together in one sweeping motion and retrieved my prize! I did it! The red chair was mine now! Upon returning back home, I placed my treasure in a place of honor on the front porch with a lively plant in it. Next order of business was to post my dumpster diving adventure to my facebook status. I was pleased. One of the first comments on my wall was by my beleaguered hubby who was traveling on business and found out about my garbage procurement via social media. Oops! His comment read like, “Dear, do you really have to dig through the garbage? Has it come to that? And do you have to tell the whole world about it?” Why yes. Yes, I do. Not only was I excited about the chair, but there seemed to be a story here.
I can’t help but think of the parallel between myself and that red chair. Its paint is chipping and it is missing a leg, but that is somehow part of its beauty to me. There is still so much value in it and it is worth redeeming. When God saw life carting me away to my death in the back of a pickup truck, He did the unthinkable. He stood beside the dumpster of death and reached in to pull me out and redeem me. He placed me in a position of honor on the front porch of His love and placed new life inside of me. Psalm 103:4 says it beautifully, “He redeems your life from the pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.” Does that not make you want to twirl around with joy? Can you grasp the fact that the very Creator of the universe, the Holy One, stepped into time and filth to redeem your life and mine from the pit? Amazing.
Next time you are driving past the city dump, let your heart take a twirl with the thought of being redeemed from the pit! And if you happen to see a woman standing on a convertible, keep driving. She’s plumb crazy.
