Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

 

Gardening season is upon us. How I love the days when the sun grows warm drying out our patch. The revving engine from the barn means the hibernating tractor is waking up ready to prepare the soil. Dad lowers the tiller behind the tractor to loosen the hardened ground and then goes over it again until it is fine and ready to receive the seeds and plants we have picked out for the intended crop.

In years past planting time was a family project. After Dad would furrow a carefully measured row, each of you kids would get a cup of seeds. Together we would spread out and space the seeds a child’s hand width down each row. More recently Dad has done a lot of the work as you moved on to other endeavors. But this year we had a blast from the past.

The planting occurred during the week when your young cousins were visiting. What a joy it was to show these youngsters the miracle of a garden. Instead of hurrying to get the job done, we took the time to study each different seed.

The bean seeds were white and much larger than the tiny brown lettuce and spinach seeds. We explained how the produce grown would correlate with the type of seed we planted. Beans only grow from bean seeds and lettuce only grows from lettuce seeds.

Each seed produces its own fruit!

We can understand this concept so easily when it comes to planting a garden, but so many forget the spiritual aspect of this truth. God tells us not to be deceived. How we live our lives has a great effect on the future. When a person sows seeds according to his sinful nature, he will reap the corruption that these actions bring. Yet when one sows seeds of godliness resulting from a life lived in the Spirit, he will reap eternal life.

Sin always catches up with us. A life of selfishness leads to loneliness, and straying from God’s commandments eventually produces grief and sorrow. Yet for those who follow God’s ways and seek His guidance in every thought and action, peace and righteousness are the results.

The garden seeds are planted and soon we will see bean sprouts emerging from our bean row. In the same way lettuce will grow in the lettuce row and spinach from the spinach row. Why? Because you always reap – whether in plants or actions – the seeds that you sow.

Sandra Sheridan is a Midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her messages to her children with Farm World. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.com