Break Bad Habits
Build Better Ones
Become Better Men
- Nate Whitson -
I walked into the bathroom at my office today and saw that someone had thrown a used paper towel on the floor near the garbage can.
My guess is that someone attempted to throw it away but missed and it fell to the floor unbeknownst to them.
At least, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Either way, I had this dilemma.
Do I pick it up and throw it away or just leave it there?
What would you do if that were you?
You see, this situation is a small thing but it's a big thing at the same time.
When I was a little kid, I remember my football coach (who is like a second father to me) talking about a situation just like this one.
I was probably only an early teen at the time, but I still remember it as clear as day.
He told me and my buddies that when we saw garbage on the ground or at the school that it should be us who picked it up if we saw it.
Why, we wondered?
Because that was the right thing to do and that's what men do.
I don't know if he said that last part about being a man, but that's what I took from it and I know that was a part of the lesson.
My coach was/is a man who does what's right even when no one is looking. He's also a man's man and I wanted to do anything I could to be just like him and to make him proud.
So, why am I telling you this story?
Because I think we've lost the simple truth that my coach taught me that day.
Every single day we have opportunities to do the right thing - like picking up the used paper towel from the bathroom floor, or the garbage on the ground right in front of us, or the clothes our kids left out but haven't taken care of yet.
We see the need but we don't meet the need.
Why?
Because we're convinced that it's not our issue to deal with.
- It's not my problem.
- I didn't leave it there so I'm not touching it.
- Someone else gets paid to do that, so I'll leave it for them.
- It's their responsibility, not mine.
In many ways, there's a lot of truth to these sentiments.
But I think my coach was right.
We need men to start seeing a need and meeting a need - no matter who's watching or whose responsibility it is.
Imagine what the world would look like if more of us started to do that with the small, seemingly insignificant things like this every day.
How refreshing would it be to see us return to the days when we saw a need and met that need just because it was the right thing to do!
You may not see this being done at a global level, but why should that stop you and me from doing it at ours?
I decided to pick up that dirty paper towel, by the way. I washed my hands, and threw it away then smiled.
It felt good to do that and I hoped my coach would be proud.
I know my Father in heaven who sees all that I do also saw me pick that up today and I'm sure He is proud of me, too.
Nate
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P.S.
Do you find yourself walking away from simple things like picking up the trash on the ground or helping meet a need when it's not your problem or issue?
If so, you're not alone!
But how much better would the world be if you and I did more of that?
The challenge today is simple: see a need - meet a need!
Why? Because it's the right thing to do and that's what men like you and I do!
