Sowing- But where's the Reaping?
We can feel the same way when we put in all the work we do at our various jobs everyday and in return we receive "thank-you-for-your-payment" notes with an invoice for next month's bill from Mr. and Mrs. service provider.
And when it comes to kingdom work, we put in countless hours with the sick and the wayward and there seems to be no change. We clothe and feed the homeless, volunteer at shelters, and bring gifts of food and just plain ol' good company to our neighbors.Still they just can never find the time to be your guest at a small group bible study.
We wonder...
Am I doing something wrong here?
Is this the wrong method? Is it me?
But then we turn around and see a visitor that no one directly invited, and they hungrily immerse themselves in the atmosphere of worship. They are ready.
or We pump gas at the gas station and the Holy Spirit leads you to say Hello to the person across the pump, who sees your bumper sticker and happens to be looking for a church.
or You walk down the frozen section in Wal-Mart and see a mom trying desperately to keep her crying toddler from escalating while reaching for a bag of green beans. The Holy Spirit compels you to offer a hand, and you nod your head and smile while you tell her you've been there and she too will be able to laugh at it later. Before you part ways you share numbers and a play-date is born.
Wow, I must have done something right we think.
Reality is, the reaping was the result of someone else's sowing. And our sowing will result in someone else's reaping. This is why we ought not give up when we see no harvest from what we directly sow.
Plant seeds of the gospel and there will be a harvest. Even if your seed results in a harvest of one, some thousands of miles away;
The harvest we reap is another's sowing. Our sowing is another's harvest. Sow heartily and reap just the same.
But then we turn around and see a visitor that no one directly invited, and they hungrily immerse themselves in the atmosphere of worship. They are ready.
or We pump gas at the gas station and the Holy Spirit leads you to say Hello to the person across the pump, who sees your bumper sticker and happens to be looking for a church.
or You walk down the frozen section in Wal-Mart and see a mom trying desperately to keep her crying toddler from escalating while reaching for a bag of green beans. The Holy Spirit compels you to offer a hand, and you nod your head and smile while you tell her you've been there and she too will be able to laugh at it later. Before you part ways you share numbers and a play-date is born.
Wow, I must have done something right we think.
Reality is, the reaping was the result of someone else's sowing. And our sowing will result in someone else's reaping. This is why we ought not give up when we see no harvest from what we directly sow.
Plant seeds of the gospel and there will be a harvest. Even if your seed results in a harvest of one, some thousands of miles away;
The harvest we reap is another's sowing. Our sowing is another's harvest. Sow heartily and reap just the same.
37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”- John 4:37-38
I was just meditating on Galatians 6:9 a couple of days ago, Chantel. It's so easy for me to discouraged when I don't see any fruit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. :)