Sowing and Reaping

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Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV)

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Devotion:

            It is spring here in farming country of the midwestern United States. It has been a late and wet spring causing the farmers to be well behind where they would like to be at this time of the year with their planting. However, the farmer goes ahead and sows his crop in hopes of reaping a good crop in the fall.

            So, Paul in this scripture talks about sowing and reaping in a spiritual not agricultural way. He begins by calling us to be clear eyed realists regarding sowing and reaping. If one plants corn in the spring one cannot expect to reap soybeans from that field in the fall. Paul is telling the Galatians and us to be wise and understand that sowing and reaping are interrelated.

            Even in the spiritual realm there can be no doubt what a person sows that they shall also reap. Just what does sowing to the flesh look like and how do we sow to the spirit? What do we reap because of our sowing? These are the kinds of questions that we should ask ourselves regarding these words to us from Paul’s pen.

            To answer these questions, we must back up one chapter in the letter to chapter 5 where Paul lists for us the fruit of the spirit and the works of the flesh:

                                19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,             20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,            divisions,              21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you              before, that        those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit                of the Spirit is     love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,   self-control;        against such things there is no law.

            Here we see the results of our sowing and reaping clearly displayed. Those who sow to the flesh reap terrible consequences so terrible in fact they lead to eternal death. While those who sow to the Spirit reap benefits which lead to eternal life. Those who sow to the flesh are concerned only with their own needs. Those who sow to the Spirit always look to please God and others. Loving them as Christ loves us and gave himself on the cross for us.

Let us pray:

            Father in heaven, hear our cry to you today. May we seek to sow good seed in the field of our lives that we may receive the harvest of eternal life. Keep us from being self-centered and greedy for earthly gain. Help us to seek to plant according to your greatest commandment. “Love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves.” We pray that others will find us to be faithful servants of yours. Amen.

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