By Sharon Chiellini
Several years ago I made a valiant effort to "Go Green". I set up recycle bins for everything. I even had labels on the kitchen cab
inets to instruct my barely willing family members as to which bin their trash should go. To say the least, I was quite proud of the effort I had made to save the environment! I even went so far as to set up a collection bin for all of the garbage that could be composted, complete with a detailed list of items that were welcome in the compost bin and those that were not.
Everyone was quite compliant when it came to putting bottles and cans in their proper bins and even made a decent effort to remember to put raw fruits, veggies and paper towels in the kitchen compost bin. However, when it came to the nasty job of taking the compost bin contents out to the yard and putting them in the compost barrel, everyone insisted that it was someone else's job. I can't say that I blamed them. There was no telling what kind of varmints or critters were feasting just inside the lid of the compost barrel until you actually took off the lid. Not to mention that it was usually dark outside at the time. It still makes my skin crawl to think about it. I embrace my bug phobia with a passion.
We had two compost barrels. One contained older contents that were done decomposing, and the other one was the home of the newer effervescent rotting material. The latter of which being the one that the kids had to open to put the garbage in every night. One day, as I was digging in the first compost heap that contained my beautiful finished compost so that I could put some of it's contents around my garden, my son Luke, who was about 12 at the time, came outside to talk to me. As he walked up and saw the contents of the barrel that contained the beautiful composted soil, he said "Wow! That's awesome! All that garbage we put in there turns into dirt? It really looks like dirt! Really good dirt! That's awesome!" Suddenly composting took on a whole new meaning and Luke and I had a great talk about it.Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Isaiah 61:11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
I've often recalled that conversation because it reminded me so much of my walk with the Lord. When I looked into that compost barrel, I was always reminded of how awesome and creative our God is. It also made me think of all the "garbage" I had allowed into my life and how our sin is a stench in God's nostrils.
My God is the only one who could take all of the proverbial "garbage" I have accumulated from 42 years of life on this earth and turn it into rich fertile soil for Him to cultivate and use for His good!
Praise Him for His mercy, grace and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. He longs to take all of the "garbage" in your life...the hurts and hard times, poor decisions and wasted opportunities and clean them all up and make fertile soil out of them so that you can see what He can produce through you, for His glory. I guarantee He will AMAZE you!
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Until next time my friend,
Strength and honor in Christ
