Reap What You Sow

Galatians 6:7–10 NIV

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

STORY - handed out dirt pucks one day instead of seed pucks.

It’s really important to start this verse the same way Paul does -

‘Do not be deceived - God cannot be mocked.’

Why would Paul say this before this phrase? ‘Reap what you sow’ make sense.

This sounds sacriligious, the idea of mocking God.

but Paul is saying this for a reason. and there’s a little more truth to it than we want to admit. And I’ll explain it in more detail later.

Paul says:

We need to pay attention to who we’re trying to please

Paul explains this phrase by dealing with who we are trying to please. That initial focus drives understanding whole verse.

If you sow to please the flesh - you reap destruction.

(STORY - you know what pleases my flesh? Cookies. You know what is really NOT good for my flesh? Cookies).

But it’s more than just this. Paul is not talking about just physical health.

If we do what we do to please ourselves - we will grow destruction

If we do what we do to please the Spirit instead of ourselves - we will grow life

It doesn’t say - make sure you have a good reason for what you’re sowing and you’re fine.

So paul is suggesting a radically different way of living here.

We start with this:

Check your heart when you plant your seeds

Let’s say someone wrongs you. They hurt you. And they really did it. You deserve justice.

Paul in Romans says this:

Romans 12:19–21 NIV

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

There’s so much to unpack here, but there’s a principal - if you take vengeance, you’re just introducing more evil.

And notice how God says - leave room for me.

The issue isn’t that justice, or righting wrongs is bad.

The issue is:

Do we know what seeds are we actually planting?

In our hearts, or in the lives of other people? In this scenario, someone is wronged, and they’re consumed with justice and vengeance. You may be able to bring about a result - but what happens to your heart in all that?

I’m sure we have all met someone who has just gone far down that path of bitterness and hatred. And I’m willing to say, a lot of the time - they were probably directed onto it by something legitimate. We don’t need to downplay the hurt to recognize the bad direction.

The problem isn’t whether or not something legitimately actually happened wrong to them in the past. The problem is - what seeds did they start planting in their hearts in response to that?

Only God really, truly knows what seeds are being planted - and what it’s going to grow into

That’s why our lives are primarily about sacrifice and submission. More of God and less of us.

So how can we tell what kind of seeds we are planting?

Ask yourself these questions:

Why am I doing what I’m doing? And what feelings am I trying to address?

Paul says - those who sow to please the flesh reap destruction and death. So ask yourself - WHY am i doing what im doing?

Is it because i’m hurt? And I need to feel like that person got what was coming to them? Am I feeling unstable, and I need to take power back so I feel like i’m in control? Do I feel mocked, and I need to see that person taken down a peg?

Here’s a bit of wisdom - we can have both things in our hearts. We can have a genuine feeling for God AND this bad part of our nature. That’s what can be so deceptive - we thik we’re doing the right thing. But because we have that bad seed as well as that good one, god says, don’t do it.

Jesus once said, if you’re going to give an offering (which is good), and you remember you’re in a spat with someone (which is bad) - put the gift down and go settle that first. If you’re holding a good seed and a bad seed - get rid of the bad one.

And if you’re not sure what is going on in your heart - or you are sure that it’s not that great. Then surrender it to God.

I CAN tell you, there’s one thing that’s gonna happen every single time.

Whenever you see evil, plant seeds of good instead

And Paul started off our original verse by saying ‘God cannot be mocked - a man reaps what he sows’. And this is where we really start to mock God.

When we’re wronged, it’s in our nature to want to hurt back. we’re fallen. And God says - don’t do that. You’re going down the wrong path. And we say - what do you know God? I’m gonna do what’s right, and I’m gonna hurt em back!

SIDEBAR - we worry so much about the outside world mocking God. And for sure, that’s an evil thing to do. But you know what really bothers me? When christians become such vessels of hate and exclusivism that the message we give the world is ‘God hates you, and wants nothing to do with you’. We become livid to all the ways the world mocks God, and then we mock God.

A bit of the trouble with this can be - it seems like it’s so small. Turn the other cheek sounds good, but it feels like the other person gets off scot free.

We need to remember - we are planting seeds

What we are being asked to do may seem small - but that’s what God is asking from us.

STORY - feeding of the five thousand.

Jesus said, even Faith as small a a mustard seed could move mountains. So why do we try so hard to make sure we have giant boulders? God didn’t ask for boulders.

Jesus wants whatever you have to bring to the table. However big or little it is.