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Our family moved to Marion, our current hometown, in 1987. The first home that we lived in had a spacious backyard. The back border of our yard was a small creek and just beyond that were farm fields. Depending upon the year, the field was planted in either corn or soybeans which are the two major crops in our state. We always enjoyed watching these fields get worked, especially in the fall when the combine would harvest the crop. Living in Iowa has afforded us a close up view of sowing and reaping and I would like to share some observations that I have made about this. These observations are certainly not unique nor are they exhaustive.
You reap what you sow. This is kind of obvious; you sow corn and you will reap corn. You sow beans and you will reap beans. It goes all the way back to the opening chapters of Genesis with everything “after its kind”. The expanded applications are many. If you want to be loved, be loving. If you want to be understood, be understanding. If you want to be forgiven, be forgiving. Obvious I know – but sometimes I benefit greatly by reminding myself of the obvious.
You do not reap what you sow, you reap much more. One kernel of seed corn produces and ear of corn with hundreds of kernels. One soybean seed produces a plant with pods of beans. One seed will replace itself with seed for the next cycle and a crop for the sower...”seed to the sower and bread to the eater”. (Isaiah 55:10). If you need a big harvest, make sure you sow accordingly.
Timing is important. There is a “time to sow and a time to reap”. Sow the seed too early and you run the risk of a frost when the plants are young and tender. Sow the seed too late and the crop may not have time to properly mature. Try to harvest too early and the crop is not ready. Procrastinate on reaping and the winter snows may come before the crops are in. When you think of someone you love, sow that seed and tell them. Do it now when the time is right (after all you thought about them for a reason!) If you are thankful for someone let them know. Do it now, right when you are thinking about it.
It (sowing and reaping) doesn’t always work. Sometimes the farmer gets his seed in the ground, the plants start to come up but storms cause the creek to overflow and field gets flooded and the crops do not survive. Sometimes the rains do not come at all and the crops do not survive. A summer storm brings hail that shreds the half-grown plants. High winds in the late summer knock the nearly mature crops flat. I have seen all that and more. It happens because there is a “thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy”. Farmers take steps to protect themselves from all the perils I mentioned. Believers can’t go through life successfully by ignoring the thief. He must be dealt with.
Yes, living in Iowa has afforded us the chance to observe sowing and reaping in action for years. As I wrote earlier, these observations are not unique or exhaustive – but perhaps they will give you something to consider.
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Comments
These are great illustrations and ones that I, too, can relate to. I grew up OUTSIDE of a town called Stanley, KY, which last time I checked, was not even on Google Earth. Ha, ha.
I saw an abundance of crops in their stages including soybeans, corn and cucumbers and watermelons to name a few. Also our family of 12 brothers and sisters had a huge garden of course, which we were required to tend.
Between my upbringing and our years of exposure to all things biblical, your descriptions speak loudly to me. I especially like the one "You do not reap what you sow, you reap much more." So true, as I have also learned from my years of experiences in $$$ investing. Thanks for sharing these points, Mike.