seeds – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Biblical principles: The seeds we sow

I would have never made a good farmer. I remember as a kid trying to plant a seed. I can’t remember if it was from an orange or an apple, but either way, I wanted it to grow right then and there. And when it didn’t, I swiftly dug it up.

Farmers need patience, and I was in short supply of it.

In this life, we all sow seeds. Unlike my childhood sowing experience, however, there’s no way to dig up those seeds. And ultimately, we will reap what we sow. Paul writes,

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

There were probably some in the Galatian church and in other churches for that matter that tried to twist the teaching of Paul.

Because Paul taught salvation by grace alone through faith, they said, “Well, Paul must mean then that we can live however we like. We can just sin and trust that Jesus will forgive us anyway.”

But Paul says, “God is not some naive fool to be underestimated or trifled with. He knows your heart and he knows all you do.

And if you claim to believe in Christ and yet all your life you are merely living to please yourself, he will see right through your claims of faith and see you for who you really are.

So even if you somehow avoid the results of your sinful actions here on earth (and I wouldn’t count on that), you will reap destruction when you face God on judgment day.

If on the other hand, you truly love God and live to please the Spirit, you will ultimately reap eternal life.”

He then exhorts us,

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

It can be disheartening to serve God at times because we don’t always see the results right away. We are a fast food society, expecting things on our plate instantaneously. But seeds take time to grow. They don’t grow in a day.

And the same is true of the seeds we plant in living to please the Spirit. Sometimes we don’t see the results right away. There are some seeds whose fruit we will never see in our lifetimes.

But Paul assures us, “They will grow. So don’t give up. Don’t faint from exhaustion and despair. You will reap the rewards of what you sow, and most importantly, you will reap eternal life.”

What does this mean for us practically? Paul says,

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)

One important way to please the Spirit and show our love for him is to bless those he has put around us. God has called us to be a blessing, to our family, our friends, our coworkers, and especially to our fellow Christians.

And if we focus on that, in the end, God will make sure we reap the benefits of it.

What seeds are you sowing?

Parable of the sower: Planting the seed

As I looked back on the last blog, there was one last point that occurred to me that I want to put here.

So often, I think of the farmer as Jesus. But I think it’s equally if not even more valid to think of the farmer as Christians.

Because while Jesus was here for a short time, planting the words of God in the hearts of people, it is we, here and now, who are planting the seeds in the hearts of people today.

Taken that way, I think there’s one more valuable lesson to take from this parable.

Sometimes, as we plant the word of God in people’s hearts, as we scatter the seed, some seeds fall on hardened hearts. People hear us, but they don’t understand, and Satan quickly snatches that seed away.

Other people hear it, and we’re encouraged because they get excited. Perhaps, they even make a profession of faith. But then trouble or persecution comes, they get discouraged, and they fall away.

In other cases, people receive the word and start to grow. But then work starts to get in the way of their relationship with God. Or they start getting too wrapped up in money or possessions.

Maybe they still go to church every Sunday, but they no longer grow. They bear no fruit.

But for other people, they hear the word of God, and in their lives, they produce the fruit of God, making an impact for his kingdom.

What’s my point? We are not responsible for the results. We cannot shape people’s hearts. What can we do?

Plant the seed. Water it. And then pray. Paul put it this way: one person plants, another person waters, but only God can make the seed grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

Do you get discouraged because the seeds you plant don’t seem to bear fruit? You can’t control that. All you can do is keep planting the seed. Keep watering it. And leave the rest to God.

How about you? Are you planting the seed in the hearts of the people around you?