What are We Sowing?

Every year, about this time, I realize I forgot to plant some bulbs of tulips that I had saved over the past year, from flowers I or my children had given to my wife.  It's best to plant them in the Fall, I am told.  I wondered if I could sneak them in the ground during a recent warmer-than-normal period in December, but something else came up, and there they sit, still in the garage, waiting to be planted.

For them to grow, they must be planted; the Bible uses the word "sown."  If I want to reap tulips, they must be sown.  Simple enough.  I am told there is a specific way to plant them, and off the top of my head, I cannot recall.  I wouldn't say it is difficult, but at least a little bit of planning is necessary to ensure a result of bright and beautiful tulips, that is, a bit of work in planning is necessary.

I believe a parallel exists in our spiritual lives.  We sow every day.  What we sow, however, might just depend on our priorities, our values, our spiritual condition, and just how hard we are willing to work.  We'll get a crop of something, we just might not realize what that might look like when that time comes.

Job 4:12 refers to sowing trouble.  That is specifically, "Those who sow trouble harvest it."

Hosea 10:12 tells us to "sow with a view to righteousness."

So there is the battle, to sow trouble or righteousness.  Sow something good, or something bad.  And unfortunately, it is often easier to sow the "bad", so we tend to do it more often, not thinking of the reaping harm that comes to others.  And more sadly, we often see this within the church family, believer destroying believer, out of carelessness in sowing.

Proverbs 6 speaks well of this, starting in verse 13, describing the hypocrite who "winks with his eye" (looking the part) while at the same time "devising mischief, sowing discord" (the real side of the person).  Verse 19, included in the things hated by God, mentions "he that soweth discord among brethren."  Note that it is NOT the discord hated by God, it is the SOWER of that discord.

Pray with me today, that what we sow is righteousness, even if that means more work to do that.  Pray with me that we will try in earnest to stop sowing the "easy" stuff, typically leading to pain and strife, but rather sowing that which will actually produce something beautiful, as God would see beauty.