Western men were thinking of how things could be done; they were used to making do.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Cherokee Trail)
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”
–1 Timothy 6:6 (NLT)
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“Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
–Knowles Shaw
The farmer of yore understood the concept of this song. He went out to plant, but it would be weeks before he would be able to harvest. However, because he sowed the seeds, he fully expected a harvest. There are two things that we should remember as we go through this life. First, everyone we come in contact with is somewhere in the process. He might not be fertile ground, yet. Or as he comes in contact with you a seed is planted, then another might water. Someone led by the Holy Spirit might be the person involved in the harvest.
Second, you are involved somewhere in the process. You might be the one tilling the soil, or the one planting. Someone has to water and then there will be the person involved in the reaping. I always figured, most of the time I did the cultivating and pulling of weeds.
“Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
I think it will be thrilling when we get to heaven and all the “sheaves” are accounted for and we see someone that we came in contact with along the way. We are always involved in the process; that it is why it is so important to guard and protect your witness. If we injure our testimony when we sow we might not sow on fertile ground, but on the stones.
The seasons of life come and go, but never do we cease our labor. It might change simply because our physical body changes. It might change because our physical location changes. But the labor should never cease.
“Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Tho’ the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
Psalm 30:5 states, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (NKJV) Sometimes the work of the taking care of our responsibility with the sheaves causes grief, pain, and sorrow. Sometimes the ground is not fertile. However, we must continue to do our part. It is important to remember that the person who actually does the reaping is the Holy Spirit. We, man, never saves anyone, but we are called to do our part.
Well, might as well sing out that chorus now, Oh yes…
“Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
Now get out there and do your part!