Reap What You Sow

Jesus spoke in parables to the people. His desire was to give real life examples to reveal the mysteries of heaven. In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke of the parable of the sower and the future of the seeds planted. This parable is more about the non-believer as the seed, but my time with God has revealed to me as a believer, I am a farmer with my actions. What I sow, I will reap.

Galatians 6:7-8

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 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.”

As we claim the name of Christ, our actions are monitored by others and God. We are to be a light to others and not a hinderance to their spiritual growth. Using the example of a farmer, when he plants a particular seed he is sure of what plant the seed will yield. Often we deceive ourselves in thinking that we deserve different products than what our preparation produced. This is evident in our spiritual lives as well. Galatians tells us if we sow to our flesh, we will reap corruption. This verse speaks of are carnal desires, “evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander” (Matthew 15:19) Our nature is to sin. We must counter these impulses with the fruits of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”

We can not expect positive results in our personal and spiritual lives if we sow sins of the flesh. We must recognize our faults and ask God to change our heart as we strive to be more like Him. In a recent devotion of mine, Dr. Shibu Cherian stated, “When we live just to please our fleshly desires and passions we will reap corruption by coveting what is not ours.” I have been guilty of letting jealousy of material things cloud my mind. Living in an affluent area can sometimes make you feel that you need to “keep up with the Jones’.” Living for the approval of your peers can be a slippery slope. Having the respect of our friends is one thing, but they should not determine our worth. Our worth should come from our recognition that we were created in the image of God and the joy of our salvation! Sow the fruits of the spirit today and celebrate that through the spirit we inherit ETERNAL LIFE!