Sowing And Reaping

"Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap." (Gal. 6:7)

This concept of sowing and reaping has been hijacked by profiteering, self-serving ministries that use it to dupe ignorant Christians and garner riches to themselves. If they really believed what they were saying - that God will return ten-fold to those who "sow into" their ministries - then they wouldn't need to make such requests; they themselves would give and wait to receive the increase from God.

The next verse makes it clear that Paul is talking about that which we receive into our own spirits - if it's of the flesh we'll reap corruption, but if it's of the Spirit we'll receive life.

I grew up on country music - Hank Williams (the real one, not Jr.), George Jones, Kitty Wells, Faron Young - the list goes on. I still love the sound of a fiddle and a steel guitar. But if I listen to that tear-stained, beer-stained, whining, wailing, blues-soaked, booze-soaked music, that's what I walk away with. I come away with that self-pitying, lowlife view of things - nothing's working out, poor-poor-pitiful me, I might as well go out and drink.

My soul has an automatic, built-in jukebox, and it has automatic replay. I don't know if yours works that way, but mine sure does. When I take into myself that which is of the world, that's what echoes in my soul. I sowed and I reaped. That's a far cry from where I want to be, on the mountain with the King.

But if I fill my soul with praise music, if I feed my spirit on the songs of Zion, then I reap a harvest of corn, wine, and oil - the good things of the Lord. If I seek His face early in the morning, then His touch is upon my life even in the heat of noonday. I sow, I reap.

I need to walk with Him - if I don't have Him, I die. Even though I'm under grace and free to do all things, all things are not expedient for me. A farmer wouldn't plant onions if he wanted to grow corn; neither should we plant crops we don't want to grow.

We should cry out like baby birds for bread from heaven, living water, hidden manna. If we sow to the the Spirit, we shall reap life.