Reaping Fruit (2 Timothy 2:6)

Today’s scripture: 2 Timothy 2:6

I get the idea of being a soldier and serving my “superior Officer.” I even understand being an athlete and having to play by the rules. But I have to say, I was a bit stumped by the “hard-working farmer … [being] the first to receive his share of the crops.”

I mean, we’re not supposed to be thinking of rewards or what we can get when we serve the Lord, right?

So I took a look at one of my favorite commentaries, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. And it began to make sense: “If we would partake the fruits, we must labour … We must do the will of God, before we receive the promises, for which reason we have need of patience.”

When we serve God with willing hearts, we will see fruit for our labor. When we use the gifts He’s given us, we’ll see results.

When I speak or sing or write, I’m sometimes privileged to be told that God has encouraged someone through me. I see fruit for my labor. But it's not just when God speaks through me. A couple of months ago, I was in the audience listening to another gifted speaker. Afterward, she came to me to thank me for listening with love. She was encouraged because I listened intently and supported her with my smile and body language. I saw fruit from my “labor” using my gift of encouragement.

God will use our gifts when we labor for Him. And we’ll be blessed to see fruit—firsthand.

Sowing and Reaping (Galatians 6:7-8)

Today's scriptures: Galatians 6:7-8

Sometimes, we know some Scriptures so well, they become clichés rather than truths. How often do we say or hear “You reap what you sow”? Sometimes we even joke about it.

But this is no joking matter.

“God is not mocked,” Paul asserts. What we do on earth has eternal repercussions. We can’t do our own thing and satisfy the flesh, and then expect to show up in heaven. Yet that’s exactly what the world thinks.

You ask the average American if they believe in God and heaven, and (even today) a relatively high percent will say they do. You ask them how to get to heaven, and most will say, “Be a good person.”

And who defines “good”? Most would say if the good things they do outweigh the bad.

That is not what God says. He demands and deserves our total surrender to Him. We cannot receive eternal life with Him just by trying to do good things or be a good person. We are to “sow to the Spirit.”

But what does that really mean? Sow to the Spirit?

When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we accept His sacrificial death for our sins, and serve Him as our living Savior, we are part of God’s family. We have the Spirit residing in us. And we begin to live according to the Spirit’s leading and the Father’s will.

Then we sow to the Spirit. We manifest His fruit. We strive to do, not just “good” things, but godly things. We love our neighbor as ourselves. We become burden-bearers. We use our God-given gifts to serve our heavenly Father.

And we’ll reap eternal life with God—Father, Son, and Spirit!

If we’re only living for ourselves and hoping that our good outweighs our bad, we’re actually sowing to our flesh. And what will we reap? Corruption. And eternal life separated from God—Father, Son, and Spirit.

What are you sowing? And, even more, what will you reap?

The Process of Reaping (2 Cor. 3:4-9)

For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
(2 Corinthians 3:4-9, NASB)

When I first felt called to speak, I’d get discouraged if no one made any decisions to accept Christ when I’d give the gospel. Did I not speak clearly enough? Did I not explain things well enough? Was I not engaging enough?

And then two things happened:

First, I heard God say (not in an audible voice but as clear as can be), “Get over yourself, Sauni. I’m the One speaking, and I’m the One touching lives. So just do what I’ve called you to do and say what I give you to say, and let Me do the rest.”

Second, I was reminded that not all of us are reapers. Some of us till the soil. Some of us sow the seed. Some of us water. But each of us is critical to growth.

Without someone clearing the weeds and other potential problems from the soil, then the seeds can’t take root. Without someone planting the seeds … well then, there would be nothing to grow. Without someone watering, the gently-planted seeds can’t grow.

When you stop to think about it, no one could reap anything without other people laying the groundwork … and possibly more often than not, this happens before the reaper even enters the picture.

Now that I’ve been speaking for eight years, I understand that God will use me however He chooses. And while I’ve certainly been blessed to have many indicate their decision to follow Christ when they’ve heard me speak, I take no credit. I’m reaping the harvest of other people’s work.

And when I speak and no one chooses Christ at that moment? Who knows but that I’ve planted a seed or sprinkled the water of God’s word into a prepared heart.