Reaping What You Sow

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will aso reap." (Galatians 6:7)


The principle of reaping what you sow is one that applies to every aspect of our lives. Just as science tells us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, even the intangible investments of time we make on a daily basis have very real and inevitable consequences. As Paul continued in verse 8 of this same passage, "he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

Extending this logic even further, nearly as important as what type of seed we sow is how we sow it. Consider the truth of Scripture in 2 Corinthians 9:6,
"...He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
This means that even those who are intentional about sowing only the good seed of Scripture into their hearts must still be careful to avoid the pitfall of complacency. And let's be honest, the fact that a commitment to Scripture memorization is encountered so rarely in today's world means that most people wouldn't notice if we slacked off in this discipline. But that doesn't give us an excuse to fall short of the Biblical charge to do all things "heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Col. 3:23). After all, Noah was the only one building an ark in preparation for a global flood, but that didn't diminish from the absolute necessity of hard work and steadfast dedication to the task at hand.

As we memorize Scripture, we must bear in mind that a good harvest depends not only on good seed, but on diligent and systematic planting. Likewise, the very definition of a good harvest is that the desired crop is not collected "sparingly", but "bountifully." Every effort to memorize Scripture is indescribably worthwhile, but those who truly recognize what they stand to gain will be all the more eager "put their hand to the plow", trusting God to "give the increase" in the end (Luke 9:62; 1 Cor. 3:6).
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2 comments

  • Dakota, appreciate your thoughts on one of my favorite verses. I love the idea that the verse says, "God is not mocked" or in the NIV "God cannot be mocked." And yet, it seems throughout the world and even more and more in Christian culture, God is regularly mocked, especially when it comes to taking His Word seriously.
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    • It's great to hear from you Phil! I especially appreciate your thought on "unintentionally" mocking God by taking His word lightly. If we believe Scripture memorization honors God, then it follows that taking it lightly must have the opposite effect.
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  • Good thoughts Dakota--thanks! One factor worth mentioning on staying engaged in the good planting of Scripture is the role of community. I think there's an added joy in the journey when we have a group or even just one other person who is reaching out for a Scripture memorizing goal like we are.
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