Driving through the outskirts of my city headed to a youth rally that was a few hours of way I was dumbfounded by a revelation. I remember it so vividly. Brandon’s Heath song, “I’m not who I was,” filled the airwaves in my car. It was a hot day, due to the summer season. Then out of nowhere, something caught my attention that would impact me the rest of my waking years. There it was, a dark green sign with white letters that read, “sanitary landfill.”
As I continued down the highway, I thought to myself about the sanitary landfill sign, “How in the world can a landfill be sanitary?” I wondered to myself, “Did the person that came up with the name sanitary landfill every look in an American dumpster? I mean honestly, I have been involved in quite a few conversations around a trashcan due to working with a homeless ministry for so long. I must confess there is not one trashcan that I have been around that had been washed with instant sanitizer. So how in the world could a place that has the sole job to house trash is sanitary? What a paradox.
Frank was one of the first homeless men that I personally invested in. Like many homeless that became known to me as my friends Frank was a severe alcoholic. He woke up each morning staring his addiction face to face when his body desperately craved a beer. His normal routine each day would be to somehow find a way to pay for his addiction. This was accomplished through him working several odd jobs or collecting aluminum cans. After many months of speaking love to Frank instead of judgment an incredibly meaningful relationship was birthed between us. I remember as if yesterday when my office phone rang, on the other in was Frank in a trembling voice. “Chad, I am ready.” Instantly I knew what Frank was trying to say. I had told him time and time again that when he was ready to get treatment for his deadly addiction all he had to do was call me. The next thing I know Frank and I were in my car headed to a treatment facility in a city about an hour and half away from my residence. As Frank opened the door to my car he was shaking as a result of his body going through withdrawal. His eyes were glazing yellowish color due to harmful consequences that alcohol had caused to his body. He slowly got in my car, filled with anxiety and fear, Frank buckled up and we are on our way to his vindication. Honestly I was scared to death that Frank would die on the way to the treatment facility. This was the first time in my life that I witnessed firsthand how deadly alcohol could be. About thirty minutes in to our trip Frank began to share with me what had happened the night before. He said, “Chad you know how bad it was raining last night.” I said, “yeah bro it was terrible…what did you do to stay out of the weather.” He slightly chucked, and said the funniest thing happened. He went on to say, “I was trying really hard to find a dry spot to lay my head, and I couldn’t.” As the rain increased I was left with only one option, the trash can. A brim smile then began to surface on his face, he said so I jumped in the trashcan. In the midst of a beating down rain, the trashcan was a new found refuge to Frank. He said, “I had a hard time falling a sleep, so I prayed to God to give me peace, rest, and a changed life.” He said the next thing he knows he wakes up, and thinks he is right middle of rapture. He attempts to stand up, and reality hit him in the head as his head struck the top of the dumpster. He laughed with even a greater energy and said “I threw my arms up in the air and pushed the top of the dumpster lid off my head. I began screaming at the top of my lungs for the trash man to stop.” It was apparent that God was not finished with Frank, the keenly aware garbage man saved Franks life that day. I have to be honest this was one of the funniest stories I had ever heard. I took Frank to the treatment day, He completed treatment, developed a deeper relationship with Christ. Sadly enough, I must say Frank’s addiction crept back in and eventually ended his living years.
Paradoxes run rampant throughout humanity. Paradoxes are statements that seem contradictory or absurd but are actually found to be truthful. I mean have you ever wondered why we park on driveways and drive on parkways? Another paradox that I remember growing up that still doesn’t make sense is when I use to get in trouble one of my family members would say, “Good grief Chad!” Think about this statement honestly is there such a thing as grief that is good? As my mind chases down this rabbit trail of thinking about paradoxes, I realized that the greatest author of paradoxes was Jesus Christ himself.
