Treated Like Dirt

The other day I took my neighbor’s dog for a walk.  He stopped…which caused me to stop.  I stood there looking down at the dirt.  It was nice dirt.  Not terribly dirty dirt, but it was dirt.  Just sitting there.  I didn’t acknowledge it, talk to it or smile at it.  After all, it was just dirt.

Then the phrase came to me:  “You treated me like dirt.”  I always thought of that as being treated harshly, meanly or angrily.  Looking at that nice dirt gave me reason to reflect on that phrase.  In my eyes now, being treated like dirt means being ignored, walked past without a passing word, forgetting that I even exist and that I am not important in the grand scheme of life.  

But, dirt is vital, necessary and significant.  We were created out of dirt.   Genesis 2 says, “God formed man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The man came alive—a living soul!”  That dirt was and is very important to God.  

Although harsh words sting, being treated like dirt for any reason hurts badly. Even when we’ve had a rough day, feel weighted down by lots of cares, expect impending doom and gloom, we are called to treat people well.  We are called to be personable; to ask our co-workers, friends and family how they are, how their night or weekend went; and,  truly stand there and listen 100% not thinking about ourselves or ignoring them.  

God calls us to these actions:

• John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

• Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

• Ephesians 4:29 “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

I will look at the dirt a little differently now and let it be a reminder to me to treat everyone with great respect, even the dirt.

Hope