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BE CAREFUL OF MY DUST

Probably one of the most common forms of graffiti in today’s society could be labelled “dust messaging.” You know, those “I’m dirty - wash me!” notes inscribed on the side of a car.

Probably one of the most common forms of graffiti in today’s society could be labelled “dust messaging.” You know, those “I’m dirty - wash me!” notes inscribed on the side of a car. They also appear on the back door of larger vehicles such as vans or trucks or, horror of horrors, on the occasional living room coffee table. I’ve never seen anything sinister in them - to me they’re just about someone having fun with another person’s lack of time, concern or wash rags. (Come to think of it, though, I’m having second thoughts about taking a swipe at some harried homemaker’s less-than-perfect housecleaning. That’s pretty nasty stuff. It’s not only tacky, it might qualify as sinister. Eliminate the coffee table doodling as humour.)

 

Definitions aside, chances are we’ve all been a victim, perpetrator or observer of some sort of dust messaging. It’s part of our culture and we’ve learned to ignore it or at least to live with it. To prove the theory that culture is always changing, yesterday I saw a new polished version of the old message. I don’t know what my approval means but I really liked it!

 

“You can look at my dust but please don’t write in it,” someone’s finger had scribed and immediately all my internal dust bunnies gathered in celebration. “Yeah! Sure there’s dust, but that doesn’t give you license to label my owner as uncaring or slipshod,” they shouted. “Help her get rid of us if you must, but don’t send her unkind messages.”

 

“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Romans 14: 19

 

Here’s my new “dusty” exhortation: Let’s be careful with each other’s dust. We might not be able to ignore or condone it but we can handle it with love.