A few weeks ago hubby and I had our septic system pumped. Regular maintenance of a septic system recommends having it pumped every 5 years. This summer was the time to do such a thing.
Here you can see our septic system uncovered … in preparation for the pumper truck to show up.
As you look at the photo, notice how shallow the septic system is … it is only a few inches below the ground.
The first house hubby and I owned, the septic system was several feet below the ground. We really had to dig down to find the access holes. (and woe be unto you if you didn’t know where to dig … you’d have to dig up half the yard trying to find it!)
The second house hubby and I owned, the septic access holes were right on the surface of the ground … not buried at all. (which of course made it handy when it came time for pumping)
Having your septic system pumped isn’t exactly something at the top of the priority list. Afterall, the yard is pretty and green. The thought of digging up the yard to access the septic was not a fun thought.
Afterwards, because our septic system is so shallow, hubby and I just got some fresh dirt to put back on top … and then hubby sowed grass seed. In a few weeks the grass seed will sprout, and it should look “back to normal” in a few months.
To be honest with you, I was shocked how much it looked like a grave. Don’t you think! It sort of looks like we buried somebody in our yard.
In an instant, the verse popped into my mind: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” – Matthew 23:27-28
I don’t have any experience with “whitewashed tombs.” In fact, I don’t think I have ever seen a “whitewashed tomb.” But my septic looking like a grave … that’s something I can relate to.
What Jesus was saying, is that religious judgmental people are just like my septic tank.
On the outside, religious judgmental people look perfect … absolutely perfect … perfectly religious.
Just like my beautiful green yard prior to digging up the access for the septic. You would have no idea at all what was just mere inches beneath that beautiful green lawn.
Religious “perfection” is only skin deep. It’s a pretense. It’s a “cover-up.” It’s shallow!
Just below the surface, the heart of religious judgmental people is full of the same type of stuff that my septic tank is full of. Nastiness! All manner of ick!! Constant, continual, condemnation towards other people … criticism … pride … arrogance … self-righteousness … etc.
It’s just nastiness!
Here you can see a photo of hubby’s and my garden this year. It has been beautiful! And productive! Sweet berries … striking sunflowers … abundant harvest of green beans, peas, zucchini, and tomatoes … bright orange pumpkins!
My garden has brought me great joy this summer!
This garden can represent our lives.
Each of our lives are like a garden. God is doing a beautiful work in each of our lives to produce fruit for His Kingdom. Lots of different kinds of fruit: kindness … patience … peace … love for others … compassion … gentleness … joy … etc.
And then someone religious and judgmental comes into our “garden.” Condemnation wreaks havoc in the garden. Our “fruit” is criticized because it’s “not good enough.” Peace is destroyed. Joy is tossed aside. Kindness is trampled underfoot. Gentleness is disregarded. Love is thrown away.
Religious judgmental people are miserable and unhappy (because their soul is a septic tank!). They are only happy when they are criticizing others. Gossiping about and condemning others’ fault, flaws, and failures.
Avoid religious judgmental people! If you allow these types of people into the “garden” of your life, they will turn your “garden” into a grave.
