The Pelicano was the world's most unwanted ship. No country in the world wanted her. No country allowed her to land. The problem was not the boat. Though rusty and barnacled, the 466-foot freighter was seaworthy. The problem was not the ownership. The owners had kept the license current and paid the taxes. The problem was not the crew. They may have felt unwanted, but they were efficient.

Then what was the problem? What is the reason for years of rejection? Why was the Pelicano the most unwanted ship in the world?

Simple. She was full of trash. 15,000 tons of trash. It ranged from orange peelings to beer bottles to newspaper and dozens of other items. She was filled with the 1986 summer trash from Philadelphia. That’s when the municipal workers went on strike and the trash piled higher and higher. No one wanted it. The owners of the Pelicano thought they could make money by transporting it elsewhere. But no one wanted it. It was too much and then too old and now possibly toxic.

No one wants a trash-filled ship, and very few want those in their life with trash-filled hearts either. Trash contaminates our relationships. Life has a way of unloading her rubbish on our decks if we allow it. Load after load of anger, guilt, pessimism, bitterness, bigotry, anxiety, deceit, impatience. It all piles up and affects us. Think of it this way:

Today's thoughts are tomorrow’s acts.

Today's bigotry is tomorrow's hate crime.

Today's anger is tomorrow's abuse.

Today's lust is tomorrow's adultery.

Today's greed is tomorrow's embezzlement.

Today's fear is tomorrow’s reality.²

Paul reminds us that we have a choice of what thoughts we entertain or invite in. He said, “Casting down all arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) You are not a victim of your thoughts. We have a choice. Let’s choose to keep trash out of our hearts so that God’s love and joy can flow.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, I ask that you create a clean heart in me. Please remove all the trash I have allowed to come in and create obstacles for the fruit of your Spirit. Give me the courage and strength to reject any thought that does not come from you. I want others to be blessed by the things I allow in my heart. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1. Philippians 4:8 (NLT).

2. www.sermoncentral.com