Cigarette Butts at the Gas Station

Cigarette Butts at the Gas Station

By Joel B.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

So, I was at the Shell gas station today, and what do I notice? Smokers! And what are these smokers doing? Well, for one they’re showing a blatant disregard for the safety of others, and two they’re tossing cigarettes butts on the ground. I mean, really? I didn’t look around for a non-smoking sign, or even a sign that would indicate the ground just might be flammable from gasoline. Of course, does there really need to be? Is this not common sense? Shouldn’t people care about these things? Of course these are all rhetorical questions that we should know the answer to.

I can tell you from experience that gas spills happen at gas stations. It’s a given. I remember one such time I had the gas nozzle set to fill automatically, and instead of shutting off when it was supposed to, it went all over my clothes and on to the ground. I was on my way to work and I had to stop in to let everybody know what was going on, and I think they were all catching a buzz from my clothes before I could even tell them. The point is doing acts, such as throwing lit cigarettes butts on the ground, are very dangerous and irresponsible.

As Christians, I would encourage not to even smoke and I would certainly caution you as to where you throw your cigarette butts. In 1 Cor 6:20 we are told that we are bought at a price, and to glorify God with our body, and in spirit. Furthermore, 1 Cor 3:17 tells us we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and gives a stern warning to anyone who would defile that temple. Friends, don’t defile yourself with cigarettes. And if you insist on smoking, please be considerate of the rights and safety of others.

In closing, I don’t want to sound judgmental. I just don’t want to go into public places and have to be concerned about inhaling second hand smoke or being at a gas station that goes up in flames because someone thought the ground made a better ashtray than the one in their automobile. So please be courteous to your brothers and sisters out there who don’t smoke or who don’t want to become gas station BBQ. Thank you for reading and God bless.