Fall is coming and so are the colorful autumn leaves, football, and yummy pumpkin spice lattes. Fall is also the time of reaping what was planted back in early spring. Soon, we will see the roadside farmer's stands with apples, corn, gourds and pumpkins. We will delight in the crisp morning air and the coming of a fire in the fireplace and cozy sweaters.
As we prepare for the changing season and begin to reap the bounty, I have been reminded you can only reap what you sow. It's so simple, really. If you sow nothing, you get nothing. Any farmer knows that If you plant beets you cannot expect corn and if you plant carrots you will never, ever get apples. It is a basic law of life. You reap what you sow.
From a relational view it works the same. We get what we give. Friendships don't
remain if we do not foster them. Marriages crumble from lack of care and attention. Children disconnect from family when they do not feel like they belong. Relationships need tending. Hate cannot create Love. Only hate fosters hate. Only love fosters love. We reap what we sow. We get what we give. It all comes back around.
remain if we do not foster them. Marriages crumble from lack of care and attention. Children disconnect from family when they do not feel like they belong. Relationships need tending. Hate cannot create Love. Only hate fosters hate. Only love fosters love. We reap what we sow. We get what we give. It all comes back around.
I heard a song late last night that spoke to me. The words are below about a grandmother and a child sharing gardening and a life lesson. I hope you enjoy it too!
SOW MERCY
I can see her now, her weathered skin
Old straw hat and crooked grin
And she said child, let's make this garden grow.
Let's till the soil, and pull some weeds
And here's your bag of precious seeds
'Cause grandma's got a secret you should know.
You always reap exactly what you sow.
We knelt right there and she took my hand;
That patch of dirt was Holy land.
And she said child I learned this long ago.
Oh, you can bless or curse.
You can live or die.
You choose the crop you want in life.
That's the greatest secret Grandma knows,
You always reap exactly what you sow.
'Cause one day God forbid, you act a fool
And fall down hard and fast, 'cause life is cruel.
If you ever reach to help a friend,
A hand you held might lift you up again.
What goes around comes back around, you know.
You always reap exactly what you sow.
Old straw hat and crooked grin
And she said child, let's make this garden grow.
Let's till the soil, and pull some weeds
And here's your bag of precious seeds
'Cause grandma's got a secret you should know.
You always reap exactly what you sow.
We knelt right there and she took my hand;
That patch of dirt was Holy land.
And she said child I learned this long ago.
Oh, you can bless or curse.
You can live or die.
You choose the crop you want in life.
That's the greatest secret Grandma knows,
You always reap exactly what you sow.
'Cause one day God forbid, you act a fool
And fall down hard and fast, 'cause life is cruel.
If you ever reach to help a friend,
A hand you held might lift you up again.
What goes around comes back around, you know.
You always reap exactly what you sow.
Sow Mercy. Sow Grace.
Sow Kindness. Sow Faith.
Words are like water sprinkled with love.
You will harvest all your heart's been dreaming of...
Sow Mercy.
As you walk the paths of your garden today, be attentive to what you have planted. What seeds are YOU sowing? It is far more important to be concerned with the type of seeds than the harvest. If you are not reaping what you wish for, check the seeds! I bet we all have some 'weeds' that need pulling too! The effort we put towards tending our life garden will come back around. The mercy and grace we show to others will come back to us in our time of need.
Like the song says:
If you ever reach to help a friend,
A hand you help might lift you up again.
What goes around comes back around you know.
You always reap exactly what you sow.
Sow Mercy.
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| If what you have isn't what you need, It's not your harvest, it's your seed! |