Littering and "The Law"

One of the things that Thea and I have noticed about Philadelphia is the litter, especially on the streets in our neighborhood. It is terrible: people just throw everything from paper and cans to plastic bags and garbage on the streets. I hate it and have always wanted to confront the people who do it. Well, last week, I got my chance!

Thea and I were going into our local CVS store when right in front of me a women in a parked car threw a piece of trash onto the ground. I scooped it up and in my best "voice of righteous anger" said: "M'am, you are LITTERING!". She was startled and said: "I was going to get out and put it in the trash!". I replied: "The trash can is right over here, for heaven sakes!" She asked: "Do you work for the store?" and I replied an irritated "NO!" and walked into the store. When we were inside, Thea told me that she could not believe that I had done that and that I had been pretty harsh. I replied that the woman got what she deserved and felt justified in what I had done. Littering is against the law.

We purchased our item in the store and exited. As we passed the women in the parked car (still there), she intentionally tossed another piece of trash in front me and said "Clean it up!" Thea, without comment, picked up the trash, and we drove off.
I asked Thea again if she thought that what I had done was wrong, and she replied again that she thought that I had not handled the situation especially well. I thought about it some more and asked her asked "What would St. Frances have done?" She said: "He probably would have cheerfully picked up the trash, made a joke about it, and left the woman laughing and feeling a little guilty."

Over the next few minutes, after I had calmed down, I began reviewing my behavior. Certainly it was true that littering is against the law. Technically, I was all in the right here -- a law-abiding citizen, helping to keep the environment policed. I had confronted a person who was breaking the law, but in doing so, I had not seen her as a "child of God", as "the face of Jesus", or even as a person. I had seen her as a jerk, had treated her as such, and (predictably) had gotten a defiant, "up yours" reaction. Worse still, I had not changed her behavior for the better. In fact, she probably is throwing trash on the streets of Philadelphia right now while she pictures my face and curses. No, my behavior had not, in any way, contributed to a positive outcome.

As I reflected more, I realized that my actions were very much like those of the Pharisees in Jesus' time. These were upstanding, law-abiding citizens who held others accountable -- and completely missed Jesus' message that we should love our neighbors. Like the Pharisees, I had not shown this woman love, or even respect, and probably left her worse than I found her. I was, truly, part of the problem, not part of the solution.

By now I felt chastened. I resolved to use this as a lesson in humility and respect for others. We are called to love others not to criticize them. If I get another chance at a "littering incident", I will try a lighter approach, something like: "Hey, I think this blew out of your car. Do you need it?.... OK, I will throw it in the trash for you. Have a great day!"

This living a life of loving humility is tougher than it looks.