Pastor's Musings

Disciples of Christ

A friend of mine loved composting. He kept a bin by his shed where he layers coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, and ashes from his burn pile. Every week he turned the mixture, sprinkled in water, and watched it slowly become rich, loamy soil. With spring planting season, he would dig down to the “black gold” at the bottom and mixed it with potting soil to feed geraniums and tomatoes until they grow full and lush.

As he described shoveling that compost, I thought of Isaiah’s promise: “I will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.” In chapter 61, the prophet speaks of good news to the poor, freedom for captives, and healing for the brokenhearted. He foretells a Redeemer who will replace mourning ashes with a beautiful crown—a prophecy Jesus claimed in Luke 4:21.

Just as kitchen scraps and yard waste transform into life-giving soil, God takes the ashes of our lives—the broken, painful parts we’d rather discard—and turns them into something meaningful and life-affirming.

Three Lessons from the Compost Bin

1. Transformation Takes Time

Composting scraps into fertile soil can take months or even a year.

Spiritual growth and healing often begin slowly; we long for immediate relief, but genuine change requires patience.

As we persevere, the sharp edges of our pain dull, much like stones get worn down tumbling in a stream.

2. We Need Extra Help

This spring my friend ordered live worms in the mail, poured them into the bin, and let them do the work of breaking down material faster.

In our own healing, we enlist prayer, Scripture, devotional reading—and the support of trusted friends or counselors.

Just as those worms accelerate composting, God uses others to guide, challenge, and encourage us.

3. The Richness Lies Deep

The finest compost hides at the bottom of the bin, waiting to be unearthed.

Similarly, our deepest experiences—grief, loss, triumph—form the soil out of which empathy and authentic comfort grow.

When we’ve walked through hardship, we can offer solace that transcends empty platitudes, reflecting God’s cycle of ashes to beauty.

My friend’s gardening has become a living metaphor for God’s grace. It reminds me that even the “stinkiest” parts of myself have purpose and can be transformed. Through patience, humility, breaking down, and rebuilding, God cultivates life within us—and through us, for those around us.

May we adopt this same grace. May we trust that beauty can spring from our ashes, even if it takes time…and perhaps a few worms.