Sowing What You Want to Reap

Our annual garden was usually at least an acre in size and produced enough vegetables to last our family of five until the next harvest. Our largest produce came from green beans, corn and cucumbers. We would plant rows and rows of each,

and lesser rows of other veggies including carrots, potatoes, green peas, tomatoes, squash, watermelon and cantaloupe. We also had large beds of strawberries.

Each harvest season required a lot of time in the kitchen canning or freezing our produce for the coming year. As you might guess, we canned mostly green beans and pickles and froze mostly corn because that is what we planted the most.

This law of sowing and reaping has been around since the beginning of time. Ask any farmer and they will tell us… if we plant corn, we will reap corn, not beans. If we plant an apple tree, don’t expect oranges. It’s like that with anything in life. What we sow is what we will reap. If we put effort and sow the time necessary, we will reap the benefits of that effort. If we are lazy or inconsistent, our rewards will be much less than the one who put in the additional work.

The principle of sowing and reaping is found throughout scripture. We see the concept of harvest size in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Galatians 6:7-9 speaks to what we sow, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he 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. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

These verses cause me to spend time reflecting on what I am sowing. Here are some reflections I am currently weighing. Am I:

1. Spending time in scripture and prayer to strengthen my walk with God?

2. Using my gifts and talents in a way that honors God and others?

3. Eating well and working out to keep my body strong and healthy?

4. Investing in relationships and making my loved ones a top priority?

5. Using my time on things that will reap good results?

6. Being a good steward with my finances and possessions?

7. Getting the rest that I need?

If I want a bountiful harvest in my life, I need to intentionally sow the right seeds and the right amount of seeds to reap the harvest I desire. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the results are worth the wait and effort. What are you sowing in your life right now?