Reaping What We Sow
I need to be concerned about the development of my commitment to Christ and the development of my Christian character, because I need to know that I will reap what I sow. The law of sowing and reaping is quite clear: “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 of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:7-9).
Unfortunately, many young people feel entitled that they should “sow their wild oats” during their youth. This contradicts the clear instructions from Solomon when he declared, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecc. 12:1). Far too many young people sow their wild oats, and then reap a rotten harvest! Not only this, but as Solomon declared, the time to build character ought to begin during the days of our youth, if at all possible!
Thus, if I am going to become a leader in the church, I should take advantage of my time early to work on developing the necessary character and commitment needed for the role. For example, if I am going to become an elder of the church one day, the time to think about such is much earlier than most consider. The “desire” can literally begin in our youth (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1). Then, the qualifications that Paul gives could literally be the fruit of years of development and maturity. Why would I risk doing something that I would regret years down the road? Do we not think that Abraham regretted his attempt to subvert the plan of God in having a child with Hagar? Can we not hear the agony in the voice of David as he regrets his lustful actions with Bathsheba in Psalm 32 and Psalm 51? Even Paul himself will periodically voice his regrets over the former life he lived and the persecution he wrought upon the church before his conversion! We must remember that whatever we sow, that we shall reap. Therefore, I must keep this in mind with regards to the development of my commitment to Christ and the development of my Christian character!
Even Paul states concerning the responsibility that the church has towards widows that they are to be “…having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work” (1 Tim. 5:9-10). Would a Christian wife want to throw her Christian character away at the price of losing her faithfulness to God? Would she not realize that it may have repercussions down the road when she might become a widow?
We always reap what we sow; we always reap later than we sow, and very often, we reap more than we sow. Thus, as we consider the great law of sowing and reaping, and we consider the need to work towards developing our commitment to Christ and Christian character, we put these two principles together and see how they correlate with one another. I should always consider the consequences of my actions (cause and effect), realizing that I may even feel and endure the effects years down the road. This works both positively as well as negatively. Therefore, I need to begin now (or continue if I have already begun) to work hard in developing my Christian character and commitment to Christ; I do not want anything to deter my progress!