Be part of the cleanup crew

They were still there. From my second-story window, I could see the familiar smattering of fast food bags, plastic bottles, and other junk that had accumulated on the outskirts of the woods across from my house, near the road. I’d wondered if someone would pick them up. Nobody had.

Armed with a garbage bag and gloves, I was able to clean things up pretty quickly. For the next few weeks, I watched, expecting the litter to come back. Nothing. The woods remained clean.

Was it just a coincidence? I didn’t think so. It occurred to me that when people saw the litter, they felt like they could add to it. But when they saw the woods without a bunch of ugly trash, they didn’t feel impelled to open their car window and chuck something out.

It spoke to me of how we treat our mental environment. I like to ask myself, “Am I ‘piling on’ to the world’s anguish with thoughts that amplify chaos and frustration, and letting my day subtly take on this tone?” Or maybe I’m feeling resigned or apathetic, letting those feelings wash over me without challenging them – removing them from the mental road, so to speak.

We can probably all do a better job of being part of the “cleanup crew” in our own thinking. I’ve found the most effective way to do this is by allowing our thoughts, and in turn our actions, to be impelled by God – described by the Bible as Love itself. There is a long-standing biblical basis for this spiritual polishing.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science and founder of the Monitor, has this to say about our responsibility to purify the mental atmosphere: “Watch diligently; never desert the post of spiritual observation and self-examination. Strive for self-abnegation, justice, meekness, mercy, purity, love. Let your light reflect Light” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 154).

Far from manipulating our thoughts and willfully modifying our behavior, or simply being naive, this Christian, scientific approach involves discipline and humility. It’s intentionally seeking a deeper spiritual understanding of ourselves – what we are (actually, what everyone is) in God’s, divine Love’s, eyes: spiritual, pure, good, wanting to do right always.

This quest for spiritual understanding takes a receptivity to Christ – God’s crisp and clear message of love to humanity – but we all are capable of being receptive. It’s natural to reflect the light of God, the light of Love, and to see others as doing so too, because that’s exactly how God made us – reflecting Himself. So the desire and effort to purify our thoughts and actions are supported by God.

This equips us to respond to situations in productive, caring ways, rather than giving in to the temptation to throw figurative trash. For example, when we see someone who has acted selfishly falling from grace, are we sort of glad about it – or do we strive to lift them up in prayer? When someone is rude to us, do we buy into a common belief that what goes around comes around – or do we wish well for them?

This goes far beyond surface solutions. Think of how Christ Jesus fed multitudes of people not only literally but also spiritually. We may not be feeding thousands with a little bread and fish, but we are meant to follow in the way Jesus pointed out. And this starts with spiritualizing the way we see everything.

I like to think that my efforts to clean up the woods across from my house made my town look a little better. But even more, I hope that as people drive past, they can feel the love that prompted me to clean things up in the first place. Maybe it will even encourage them to think twice before throwing trash – whether it’s a candy wrapper or an ugly judgment. Why? Because the love that prompts someone to care comes directly from God.

And when we accept the love that comes from God, apply it in our own homes, and let it inform even the smallest of decisions, the world can feel it.