The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6
A few weeks ago, while my grandchildren were visiting, they came in with a few apples. This tree is on the backside of my property, out of my normal eyesight—so it takes these wonderful children to remind me I have fruit! For the past few years, we may have gotten a dozen or so apples from this tree each year. It is at least fifty years old and produces the best combination of sweet/ tart apples you can eat. My expectation was the kids would pick and eat them, not much bother. What a surprise it was to walk back and find dozens of apples on the ground! The tree had outdone itself. I think it is the biggest harvest we have ever had.
Now what! My two choices were to just let them sit and rot and hope the deer enjoyed their feast, or be the responsible home owner and deal with them. I had not expected to have to deal with all of these apples. My granddaughter graciously helped me pick them up. Some of them had been on the ground a long time and were not fit to process. We sorted them into keepers and composters. It was a bit overwhelming to know what to do with them all. In all honesty, I was glad some of them were past using!
But here I am with all this fruit. Now what? The next day, my daughter surprised me with bringing her girls over with two fruit dehydrators and soon an excellent team got to work with an apple peeler, slicer corer gadget, turning the apples into delicious dried snacks. I filled my crock pot to start the apple butter process. It felt so good to not let this harvest go to waste.
This tree surprised me with its abundant crop this year. Have you ever been surprised by the harvest you’ve been sowing? Do you even expect to reap the godly seeds you’ve sown into others? 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. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone–especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:9-10 My apple tree simply did the good job it was created for—produce apples. As we keep on walking in the Spirit, let’s expect the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in and through our lives. Even though we are the first partakers of that fruit, it is for others to benefit from. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are then available to those around us. My apple tree surprised me with its bountiful harvest this year. Maybe our spiritual fruit will surprise us also! No matter what, please do not get discouraged when sowing love, patience etc. some soils are hard to sow into. It is not our job to discern another’s soil condition. That is up to the Lord. Keep on sowing my friends, we will reap in His season.
Father, please help us understand the importance of sowing to please your Spirit. I thank you that you are helping us in these areas. It is so easy to become self-centered and selfish, forgives us dear Father. Help us trust you to do the right thing and expect a great harvest. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Faith Encounters 