Saturday, April 6, 2013

Sow It - Reap It





I am a true believer in the Scripture that says you reap what you sow.  Those two words, reap and sow, are not commonplace in today’s vernacular. There are far fewer people today who grew up in a farming community who immediately place a clear, concise mental image in their head when they hear or read those words.  Reaping is the act of gathering, or cutting down and then gathering, of the harvest.  Sowing is the act of throwing down the seed, or in modern times, having a machine seed the soil for you.  If you plant corn, you will get corn.  If you plant asparagus, you will get asparagus. You will harvest the product contained in the seeds you tossed out earlier. 


The author of Galatians noted this act in Chapter 6, verse 7 when he immediately saw the parallel between these two acts of farming and the walk of common man. 

"Don't be misled; remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows!"

If you want to judge a man, an American humorist once said, you should not look at him in the face but get behind him and see what he is looking at, what he is sowing.  Then you will see the true nature and life-purpose of this man.

Remember that if you plant garbage seeds, you will get garbage.  If you sow deceit, anger, jealousy, rage – that is what you will gather at harvest time.  Remember also, as the humorist said, that some people may be really good at throwing down the seed they want everyone to see, but their eyes and hearts are elsewhere.  So step behind someone and take a look at what they are looking at. What drives them?  What motivates them to act day to day?  Are they focused more upon themselves than on others? 

I heard this advice once and now give it to husbands and wives to be.  Ladies – watch how his father treats his wife.  That is your future.  Men – watch how her mother treats her husband. That is your future. 



Get behind once in a while; watch, learn and discover 1) the type of seed being tossed, 2) where it is planted (is it purposeful or thrown in a half-hazard manner) and 3) watch where their eyes are watching while they are sowing.   

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Mirror Mirror

I have been receiving blessings by reading a book entitled 'Buddhist Boot Camp', by Timber Hawkeye.  He has some amazing insights on improving self-confidence, overcoming fears, and positive reinforcement.  I enjoy reading the wisdom writings on this author.  A quote from this author:

"A flower doesn't stop being beautiful just because somebody walks by without noticing it, nor does it cease to be fragrant..."

I love that image.  We are beautiful in God's eyes.  We are beautiful in the eyes of others as well.  I Peter 3:34 says

"Your beauty...should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight".

The next time you are concerned with how others may or may not perceive you - remember that God sees you.  You are not invisible to your Creator and that is your foundation for living a life free from the burden of worrying about your image and of what others think or feel about you.

May the Love of God surround you, His Grace astound you, and may your knowledge of this, ground you in Hope.