Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

These verses are in the context of how we treat those who teach us the Word of God (verse 6), but they have an obvious general application as well. Paul taught about the principle of sowing and reaping as did Jesus himself. In fact, a cursory word study will find scripture on the subject from just about every book in both the Old and New Testaments. It certainly has a general application in life; what we get out of life is often what we put in. Yet, Paul is not promoting some law of “spiritual karma” that ensures we will get good when we do good, or always get bad when we do bad. If there were such an absolute spiritual law, it would surely damn us all. Instead, Paul simply relates the principle of sowing and reaping to the way we manage our resources before the Lord.

Rest assured…God is paying attention…and he will not be mocked. We may fool ourselves by expecting much when we sow little, but we cannot fool God and the results of our poor sowing will be evident. Whatever (v. 6) would include thoughts, words and/or deeds. Stop a moment and ask, “What am I planting in each of these fields?” We are planting seeds all day every day, for each day is filled with a myriad of choices and each choice is either leaning toward the flesh…or toward the Spirit. There is no neutral “field” where we are planting.

Charles Eade (1814–1884) is apparently responsible for the first version of the famous quote you have probably familiar with: “Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit, and you reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Here is an updated version by Samuel Smiles: “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” The bible clearly teaches—and we all know by experience—that these words are true, and best heeded on a daily basis, if not hourly. The great missionary to Burma, Adoniram Judson, alluded to the eternal aspect of this principle, and it provides a powerful way to wrap up our time together today:

“A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity… the same may be said of each day. When it is once past, it is gone forever. All the marks which we put upon it, it will exhibit forever… each day will not only be a witness of our conduct, but will affect our everlasting destiny… How shall we then wish to see each day marked with usefulness! It is too late to mend the days that are past. The future is in our power. Let us, then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we shall wish to wear it forever. And at night let us reflect that one more day is irrevocably gone, indelibly marked.”