2 Corinthians 9 - We reap what we sow

Background Photo: JOYN

2 Corinthians 9

“The point is this,” Paul says. “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Here Paul mentions it in the context of giving. In Galatians he relates it to how we treat others. Jesus speaks of reaping & sowing with regard to hearing and believing the Word. It is a life principle built into creation.

We will reap what we sow. We can’t harvest what we don’t plant.

If we want to accomplish new things, we have to do the planting. If we want to get healthier, we have to do the planting. If we want to make life changes, we have to do the planting.

And it is HARD to do the planting. To bury that seed. To watch something seemingly die we are clinging to in that seed. To water and watch and wait. And wait. Because the harvest takes time. Planting ushers in seasons of sweat equity with very little to show for it on the surface.

Some of our sowing will fall on the path, immediately trampled or taken away by birds. Our efforts will flat out fail from the get-go sometimes. Maybe we gave it a half effort; weren’t all in; weren’t committed.

Some of our sowing will fall on the rocks. It will show promise for a while, but as it grows, it withers away. It doesn’t take root. Things get in the way of its growth and development. We make small progress that slowly deteriorates because we didn’t do the important foundational work. We sow sparingly and reap sparingly.

Some of our sowing will fall among thorns that grow up and choke it. Things begin going well and then we get distracted. All. The. Shiny. Things. We get confident or complacent and stop the pruning. Or things just plain get hard, or boring, or take too long. Or we start to believe the other voices that it won’t work; we can’t do; we aren’t good enough. And we quit.

But sometimes our sowing falls on good soil. It grows and yields an impressive magnificent harvest. We do the work. We stick with it. We put in the time. And things begin to happen. Our bountiful sowing produces a bountiful harvest.

God can take our obedient action, commitment, hard work, diligent waiting and make something beautiful out of it. The sweat equity has purpose. We are humbled, we become more committed, we are more grateful, we learn so much along the way, we are equipped to help others in their sowing seasons...we are more ready for the harvest.

What three things are you going to plant today? Things that not even a seedling of a harvest can be seen yet...running a marathon, starting a business, leaving a job to become a stay at home mom, saving up for that home, losing those extra pounds, founding a non-profit...

We reap what we sow. We harvest only what we plant and care for. Let’s do this!

---

JOYN ... India based business reviving tradition and restoring fashion.

Follow them on Instagram here.