Sowing, Reaping, and Making a Difference!

Have you ever planted a garden starting with just seeds? If so, you know that the type of seeds you plant or sow, is the type of plants you will grow and reap – what we sow, we reap!

The Bible talks about seeds in all of its major books – the five books of the Pentateuch, or Old Testament law, most books of History, all of the Major Prophets, and many of the Minor Prophets, too. All four of the Gospels, several of the Epistles to the churches and the book of Revelation. Wow. When we see a topic mentioned that many times it is clear that this topic is of major significance. It is God’s megaphone saying, “Pay attention!”

So just what do we learn about seeds, and then from seeds in the Bible? Here are a few simple principles that we can build our lives upon – strong, simple and significant:

1. The type of seed you plant in the ground is the type of plant that will grow.
   Okay, I know that sounds super simple, and even a bit trite. But when we transfer this physical principle of sowing seeds of discord instead of peace, or seeds of envy instead of love, or seeds of impatience instead of trust – guess what – that’s what we are setting ourselves up to receive. Instead sow seeds of faith, hope and love.
2. The type of soil you place your seed in makes a tremendous difference in the seed’s ability to grow, bear fruit and flourish. The Bible mentions things that starve the seed: doubting God’s goodness and love, filling our days with worldly pleasures rather than spiritual treasures, and neglecting our own souls and our need for Him. Instead, let’s keep the soil of our hearts soft, well-nourished through times of refreshing in His Word and enjoyable times of renewal alone and with others.
3. The patience of the farmer is needed to reap the full harvest that God wants for you! The farmer knows that he / she must wait for the seed to take root, sprout and then bear fruit. Our life is quite similar. When we sow seeds of righteousness and goodness, that’s what we can expect, but it comes later and it is often greater.

Quoting the late Dr. Charles Stanley, “The law of sowing and reaping states: 1) You reap what you sow, 2) You reap more than you sow, and 3) You reap later than you sow.”

Thank you, friend, for helping Women in the Window sow seeds of Life and Truth in the 10.40 window nations of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. May you and yours reap a bountiful harvest as a result!

“For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”

Isaiah 61:11