Filthy House

The house was a mess, both inside and out. More than 100 garbage cans, filled with decomposing matter, littered the driveway. The stench was terrible, and when the wind blew, it was even worse. Those who were able to find the front door and go inside the house had to literally wade through trash and debris piled up to five feet high.

Can you imagine living in such a filthy house? Apparently Ms. Fandel, a woman in Nebraska, didn't have any problems with it. That's the way she had lived for many, many years. Her neighbors often complained to city officials, but there wasn't much they could do. They sent her notices to clean up the house, but the woman just ignored their prodding.

"This is a health and fire hazard," the city's chief housing inspector remarked.

"The garbage from her house blows into our yards," neighbors complained. "It smells terrible! Something has to be done about the situation."

Finally, in November 2004 the country took action. It sentenced Ms. Fandel to 45 days in jail for littering. Every 10 days the authorities allowed her to go home and clean. Did the condition of her house improve? Hopefully, yes. And hopefully Ms. Fandel made a decision to keep her house clean from then on.

How can a house get so dirty? One piece of trash at a time. And that's what can happen to you and me if we aren't careful to keep the garbage out. What we keep inside affects our characters. So don't let the trash pile up. Instead, "guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

God's word for today: Proverbs 4:23

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All photos were edited by @Makikeno