Sowing and Reaping

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever one sows, that will he also reap. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. Gal. 6.7,9

As I thought about Mother’s Day this past week, I kept coming back to this principle. Producing a harvest takes time. Every farmer knows this well. We prepare the ground, plant the seeds, water the seeds, pull the weeds, and wait. This is not unlike raising a child. Nothing is immediate. Developing a single principle in the life of a child could take days, months, or years. Developing  others centeredness, perseverance, a good work ethic, the desire to wear shoes ;-), and on and on is a long process, and it can seem at times as a mom that we are sowing and sowing with no visible result. Why does my child not change? Why are my efforts not working? However, the Bible promises that “in due season we will reap if we do not give up.” This encourages me and our pastor thought so as well since it was the message at this week’s service, which felt like a hug from God saying, “I see you. Your efforts of developing the hearts and minds of your kids are not in vain.” Don’t. Give. Up.

And my heart goes out to parents who were faithful. Sowing truths, consistently living as an example to their children, and then their children turned and walked a different way. Pray that your children’s hearts will be fertile soil for the messages that you pour into them. There are so many things in this life to distract, to choke, and to wither a growing plant. Parenting is not easy.

Matthew 13 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”