Harvest day

Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. — Galatians 6:7

One autumn afternoon I drove past a field where a farmer had parked some massive machinery by the side of the road. A yellow caution sign read: “Harvest in Progress.” As I glanced over at the field, I knew instantly what the farmer had planted several months ago — tiny kernels of corn. I knew this because he was preparing to drive his harvesting equipment through acres of mature cornstalks.

While it may seem obvious that planting corn leads to harvesting corn, we sometimes deny the relationship between sowing and reaping in our spiritual lives. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived . . . ; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Living to please our flesh yields corruption in the form of wanting what isn’t ours, self-centeredness, and even substance abuse (5:19-21). Walking with the Spirit produces peace, kindness, and self-control (5:22-23). By God’s grace, we can choose to “sow to the Spirit” and reap eternal life (6:8).

Suppose Jesus declared today “harvest day” in our lives, and He asked us to gather up the yield of our everyday choices over the past year. What would we have to show Him? — Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Things of the world

often pull at my heart,

But, Lord, help me see

the end from the start;

Open my eyes to where my

life’s going,What I will reap

from all I’ve been sowing.

                        — K. DeHaan

READ: Galatians 6:1-10

The seeds we sow today determine

the kind of fruit we’ll reap tomorrow.

The Bible in one year:

• Mark 1-3