This morning I picking up where I left off in Galatians. I had a nice long weekend visiting family and didn't have much if any time to sit with the Lord. I know that He is just fine with my spending time with people that are significant to me, but it is good to be back and conversing with Him. These next few verses are just too good not to spend some time reflecting on them. Here are the verses - Galatians 6:7-10 NIV:
[7] "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. [9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Starting with verse 7, Paul outlines a very simple natural and spiritual truth - we reap what we sow. He starts by saying don't be deceived or more accurately lead astray or led aside from the right path. This is clearly in response to something others are teaching or saying. Earlier in His letter he was addressing those that were saying that they needed to follow the law and the gentiles needed to be circumcised, and then others who were saying that their freedom from the law allowed them to do whatever they wanted. It is interesting that these two themes are both opposite ends of the same pendulum swing. The law and a works mentality are basically religion, and the push for complete lawlessness is anarchy, and while opposites, neither is correct according to Paul, and I would agree, (not that my agreement means anything).
I think this is a good demonstration of the way the enemy works, always trying to distort and pervert the actual words and will of God. The Lord gave us very clear instruction and teaching and Paul is calling the Galatians back to that teaching and defending it as well. I think pulling in such a simple concept as reaping and sowing, is such a brilliant move. Everyone can understand this concept and its ramifications. If we plant grass seed, grass will come up, the same thing for each and every other type of seed, so why would we think this would be any different?
Taking this a bit further, if we want relationship with God we need to sow accordingly. If I want a relationship with someone I need to relate with them, which requires time and communication. If we want to see people healed through prayer, we need to sow prayer for healing. Randy Clark says that if you want to start seeing people healed through your prayer, than you need to start by praying for healing! He says that if you pray 1000 times in a year for healing, you will see healing! In the same way, if you want to see people come to know Jesus, you need to talk about Him. If we want to experience personal growth and greater spirituality, we need to sow accordingly.
Once in a while when you drive by a field planted with soy beans, you will see some corn-stalks poking up in random places. We always called that volunteer corn, and I think we see that occur occasionally in our walk with the Lord, unexpected fruit of something we haven't sown yet. I like to think of that like the taste testers in the supermarket, Him showing us what we could experience if we so desired. This should invite us into pursuing Him deeper, or as Paul says sowing to please the Spirit (Holy Spirit).
Paul says that sowing to please the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life, while sowing to please the flesh leads to destruction. We know from John's Gospel that eternal life is the same as knowing the Father and Jesus His Son (John 17:3), and sowing to please the Holy Spirit will certainly lead us to Him. Sowing to the flesh (sinful nature) will lead us in the opposite direction, and our focus will instead be on us, and our selfish pursuits. Paul says that they will reap destruction from the flesh. In the fifth chapter of this letter, Paul lists some of the acts of this sowing to the sinful nature and they are all things that have destructive components and outcomes. The more we pursue them, the more likely we will enjoy the fruit they bring, which is destruction.
Finally, Paul closes these verses with the simple charge to do good, to never cease doing good. He clearly aligns this with his earlier statements about sowing and reaping and says that if we do good we will reap a harvest, and its clear that it is a good harvest. I believe Paul actually correlates doing good with sowing to please the Holy Spirit. Doing good is such a widely welcomed and enjoyed personal practice. I don't know anyone that doesn't enjoy when someone does something good to them, or to someone close to them. Goodness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) and one of the chief characteristics of God Himself (Ex 33:19).
In summary, I am encouraged to look at my life and see what I am sowing. If I am sowing my time and effort into goodness and to please the Spirit, I will reap eternal life!
Amen!
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