Fixers And Clean-up People

I landed in Los Angeles (LAX) at about 2:30 in the afternnoon after a 14 hour flight from Hong Kong. I was tired and hungry. On my way to the American Airlines departure gate I decided to stop and get a hamburger at one of the food places. It took me nearly half hour to get my sandwich. I proceeded to find me a table. As I looked around I saw many empty ones but they were all filled up with trash from the previous travelers. I looked around for a clean table and there were none. All of those that had empty chairs and no one at the table were a mess. Empty drink cups, mustard and ketchup smeared all over the table tops. Hamburger baskets and napkins piled up. Just a mess.

But I wanted a place to sit down, rest, and have something to eat. I realized if I did not clean up my own table, wipe up the mess, and put the garbage into the trash bin I would not be able to eat here. So, I sat my food down in an empty clean spot, and began cleaning up the mess. I put the garbage in the trash bin. With a clean table I could now sit down and eat.

As I sat there viewing the trash left behind by other travelers, it came to me: how come these people do not clean up their own mess? They would not do this at home. But travelers think others can clean up their pig stye and so they eat like pigs and leave their tables like pigs had eaten there. I guess it is their belief that someone else should clean up after them. So they leave behind their mess and go on their "merry" way while telling everyone they meet "merry christmas."

I looked at table after table in this sorry state of mess. A young mother with a baby and toddler came and no clean place her her to sit and eat. An older man and his wife same thing. Several others in line when they got their food shook their heads and went on out to look for someplace else to eat.

It is interesting to observe this centuries old trend of people making a mess and expecting someone else to clean up after them as they dart off to continue their life.

Making a mess is what many are experts at.

I thought to myself, why is it there are basically two kinds of people: 1) those who make a mess; and 2) those who clean it up?

I did not see another person there who cleaned up the mess of others but myself. Instead they just left the messy tables and went off looking for someplace else that was clean to eat their food. I saw some of them later eating in chairs at gates where no plane would depart for several hours. These people were not clean-up people even if it would benefit them.

As I observed this "mess" situation I became aware of the religious mess so many people make. And when they make a mess at the church, against the pastor, or try to divide friendships: they never clean up their mess. It is left to others to clean up.

I thought of the many biblical events where unscrupulous men made a mess of spiritual matters and never cleaned up what they did. they left behind the souls of men and women, children: that would never again get a clean place of spiritual care and love. Home destroyers, friendship plunderers, raging mouths of scorn, hate, and bitterness; and in their wake so many destroyed lives. And who will clean up this spiritual mess? There are few real spiritual fixers, clean-upers.

I took a quick view of Jesus, his ministry of 3.5 years, and his mission to clean up the spiritual destruction left behind by many centuries of evil men.

Jesus would clean up the mess of others. He would fix things. He would make clean the spiritual eating place. Others would be able to come and sit down in the house of God and the messes left behind by others would be cleaned up.Cleaned up to make room for some hungry soul to find a clean place to eat and be filled with the good things of God.

I am so amazed that so many think they can create spiritual messes and they have no obligation to fix things or clean up what they did. Someone else must do it.

We are all travelers on our way to heaven. it is not fair for those who follow after us to have to clean up the spiritual pig stys we leave behind as we go on our "merry" way.

I have no idea how many souls are destroyed by mess makers.

For over 40 years I have been a fixer, a man who cleaned up messes left behind by others. Trying to remove the doctrinal trash and garbage left behind by others. And to help provide a clean spiritual place for souls to rest and eat. A place for a mother and her babies to find God, salvation, hope, joy, and peace. A place for the elderly to live out their remaining days in the presence of God. And a place were the weary traveler will find a friend.

Yes, I have cleaned up many spiritual messes left behind by others. Why?

Good question:

Because I want to be like Jesus.

He did not leave behind a mess.

He did not make a mess or create trouble between friends.

He was a fixer, and I thank him for Calvary where he fixed all things for those who will obey Acts 2:38 by faith.

If Jesus was a fixer, a clean-uper? I want to be like Jesus.

So, I cleaned up my own table. Sat down. Began to eat. And then when I was finished I did not leave behind trash, ketchup and mustard smeared all over the table. I kept my eating place clean. Then I reached over and collected the trash left by others. I clean up that place. As soon as I had finished the little clean up. A traveler came and sat his tray down in the spot and began to eat.

Did he thank me for cleaning him up a place?

No. He did not know I had cleaned it up and I did not tell him if it was not for me he would have to go someplace else to eat in a clean place.

I felt good inside as I departed from my table and left it clean for the next traveler.

Are you a restaurant mess maker? Do you abuse the waiters and waitresses with smart mouth remarks. Do you leave behind a mess? Or are you like me and collect things, stacking the plates, and making it easy for the table to be cleaned up?

Are you a spiritual mess maker between friends, churches, or pastors?

Your quality will show up in the simple manner you go about fixing things, cleaning up.

Jesus bless all of you who are clean-up people and fixers of problems left behind by spiritual pigs.

Bishop Reckart
A Man God Made