Good Fruit
read›
Galatians 6:1
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time
we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up (v.9).
My 12-year-old son’s teacher asked his class what
age they would like to be. Most of his friends
shared that they preferred the freedom that came
with being older, but my son said he wanted to be 9 again
because his classmates were kinder then and swore less. I
winced a little for his end of innocence, and I pondered the
inevitable life changes that each person must face.
Everyone begins life tainted by sin, with roughly the
same moral character. There is no discernible difference
between the babies of godly parents and the infants
born into dysfunctional families. Besides the occasional
undisciplined brat, most toddlers are a similar grab bag
of cute and crabby. But the seeds that are planted at this
age slowly germinate throughout childhood until they
burst through in adolescence and blossom into a fully
formed man or woman.
Paul assures us that the law of the harvest is never
broken. Those who sow seeds of lust and pride will reap
a deadly bent toward selfishness, for “You will always
harvest what you plant” (Galatians 6:7). Toddlers who are
never disciplined may grow up to be socially maladjusted,
while children who watch adult movies struggle with
twisted views of violence and sex.
Thankfully, the law of the harvest also works in the
other direction. Paul explains that “those who live to
please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the
Spirit” (v.8). And just as it may take some time for the seeds of sin to show their
fruit, we must patiently wait for our good choices to flower for all to see.
Others may not notice your change right away, but give it time. Your decision
to live for Jesus today will determine who you are tomorrow. People will notice.
As Job 4:8 declares, “My experience shows that those who plant trouble and
cultivate evil will harvest the same.”
—Mike Wittmer
more›
Proverbs is full of wise sayings that illustrate the law of the harvest.
Read Proverbs 22:1 to learn what seeds you should be planting today
and the ones you should avoid.
next›
What weeds do you need to root out of your life? What good seeds,
with God’s help, should you plant in their place?
