"Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

 

A study of God’s word reveals principles and laws that are always true and always work. One such law is found in the scripture above, the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Usually when we think of the concept of reaping what we sow, we think of it in a negative sense. We think of suffering for sinful actions or foolish choices. However, the laws of the harvest have a positive side, too. There is a promise of blessing for sowing that which is good, as well as a warning against sowing what is bad. Let’s look again at our text, this time from the Amplified.

 

 

We can sow the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit. One reaps corruption – things that cannot even endure for time. The other reaps benefits that last for eternity. Life is filled with choices. The decisions we make and those that others make affect us everyday and some can effect us for the rest of our lives. Choices are important.

 

When I was in high school, my friend Phil and I ran around together all the time. Whenever we would get ready to leave the house, Phil’s dad would always say, “Ya’ll be particular now.” That was his way of saying, “You be careful where you go, what you do, and who you do it with.”

 

Choices can have a life-changing impact. Sometimes we see the effects immediately, but at other times, we don’t feel the results for years. No matter the turnaround or timetable, the Laws of the Harvest cannot be avoided. No man will mock God by setting aside even one of these laws.

 

All of life is built upon the labor and sowing of others. Someone naturally, purposely, or inadvertently sowed that which we reap. Sometimes the results are positive and other times they are negative. We personally benefit from the contributions others have made into our lives. Think of those who have taught you, encouraged you, and those who have challenged you. If we have the opportunity to succeed and excel, others have made it possible. On a national level, we owe a great debt to those who have given us a free and prosperous country in which to live. How different would life in America be if our forefathers had not founded this nation on Christian principles? How many of our freedoms would have been lost if men had not been willing to fight and die to preserve them?  Spiritually, we would not enjoy the privileges of our Christian faith if it were not for the faithfulness of others. What if someone had not cared enough to share the gospel with you? What if others had failed to obey the Great Commission and plant churches all over America? So, through history, it is easily seen that this law of the harvest has both powerful, positive and a negative sides.

 

The positive side contains all the things that we reap because of what God has sown.

 

In contrast, let’s look at the negative side.

 

Consider the harvest before you sow. What will be the results of your choices? How will it affect you and how will it affect others? Someone will be affected by your choices. We reap what has been sown.

“Ya’ll be particular now.”