The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Galatians 4-6)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7)

Have you ever tried to plant something?  My wife, Kari, has an uncle who is a farmer.  One day we went out reaping the harvest of corn with him in his big farm machinery.  It was pretty fun.  I learned an important but simple lesson: if you plant corn seed then you have corn grow.  Likewise, if you plant soybean seed, then you’ll have soybeans.  It all makes sense in the world of agriculture, but for some reason we have a hard time latching onto the idea as it comes to our daily lives.

Paul reminded the Galatians that whatever we sow we reap.  We can’t sow bitterness and reap joy.  The one seed doesn’t grow the other fruit.  We can’t sow jealousy and reap love.  It doesn’t work that way.

The easiest way to apply this is to consider the things that you’re sowing.  Are you sowing bitterness?  Anger?  Jealousy?  Enmity?  The fruit of the Spirit will never grow in your life as long as what you are sowing is diametrically opposed to it.  As a farmer so wisely plants his fields, let’s commit to doing the same so we can reap a plentiful harvest of that, which is pleasing to God.

Father, help me to sow those things that are pleasing to You.  Keep me from sowing to my flesh and to things that fulfill my desires outside of how You want to fulfill them.  Help me to submit to the law of sowing and reaping so that I can reap a bountiful harvest of righteousness.