“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” (II Corinthians 9:6, NLT)
Two men. Two different philosophies of life. I was a teenager at the time, but I doubt I was perceptive enough at that age to realize the significance of each man’s attitude.
The first man’s philosophy was, “The more you learn, the more you have to do.” His ambition was to do the least amount of work possible without getting fired. Or maybe he didn’t even care about that. Even as a teenager, I knew his attitude was wrong.
The second man’s father taught him to believed, “You never get paid for more than you do unless you do more than you’re paid for.” It probably doesn’t surprise you that the second man worked his way up into a management position within his company and became very successful.
The first man was of the “small crop” mentality. If he didn’t plant much seed, he wouldn’t have to do as much work. The second man chose to scatter as much seed as possible so he could bring in an abundant harvest.
The law of sowing and reaping isn’t just about a farmer raising crops. The law of the harvest touches every area of our lives. The amount of effort we choose to expend determines the results we can expect—in marriage, in friendships, in our walk with the Lord.
“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38, NLT)
Some think the above verse only applies to money, but it involves so much more.
- If we sow mercy, we will reap mercy.
- If we offer forgiveness, we will receive forgiveness.
- If we show love, we will receive love.
- If we respect others, we will be respected in return.
But there is another side to this law that we should consider.
- If we sow anger, we will receive anger.
- If we are deceitful, we will be deceived.
- If we show hatred, hatred will return to us.
- If we show disrespect, we will not be respected.
I would be remiss if I did not point out that this law of sowing and reaping also applies to our spiritual lives. If we only sow to the carnal, the things of this world, we will not reap the eternal.
“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8, NLT)
Carefully choose the seed you plant. Otherwise, you may not enjoy the harvest you receive. We only get back what we plant. Make sure you have a good harvest.
Lord, help me to choose good things to plant in my life. Help me to show love, kindness, mercy, and generosity wherever I go. Remind me that I am striving for things that are eternal and it’s worth every effort I make to plant the right things in my life.
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