I have noticed that people who plow evil and plant trouble, harvest it. (Job 4:8)

When our girls were young, we decided to plant a garden. Tim’s grandpa was an avid gardener. His garden was so large, I think I’d classify him as a farmer more than a gardener. PaPa and Mother B planted enough seeds to harvest and can enough vegetables to supply their three grown daughters and their families – not to mention PaPa and Mother B themselves – for the upcoming year. By the time I married into the family, PaPa was suffering from arthritis and couldn’t garden any longer, but I still reaped the benefits of his work. Those last few pints and quarts were saved for special occasions and every mouthful was savored.

Even though I was raised on a farm, I didn’t do much gardening. Our time was spent in the larger fields with the big equipment which speeds up the planting, plowing, weeding, and harvesting processes. However, my grandpa gardened a little after he turned the farm over to my dad and his secondary career of carpentry slowed down. Grandpa had a huge strawberry patch. Strawberries are certainly not the easiest plant to grow. They’re a bit temperamental. But I certainly enjoyed the fruit of Grandpa’s labor!

When we plant our first garden, Caitlin was old enough to help. Tim used his PaPa’s hand plow to break up the soil. Caitlin pushed on the lower bar as Tim did the heavy work from behind her. They planned how many rows they’d have, talked about what would grow best in our soil, what vegetables to place next to each other, when each would be ready for harvest, and many more details. We went to the local garden shop to pick out the seeds. The seeds look nothing like the vegetable it would grow into, but we knew they’d change. We had to start somewhere.

Each seed was planted at the recommended depth and spacing. The ground was watered, and then it was time to wait. We watched the garden and checked for green shoots poking through the ground. As they did, we identified each plant. Again, the plants looked nothing like the fruit they would eventually produce, but we could identify them simply because of the location. Each row was marked by the name of what was planted. It was still a long time before the plants began to resemble something we could easily identify, but we trusted the seeds we planted would produce what they were intended to produce. Corn didn’t produce green beans. Green beans didn’t produce potatoes. Potatoes didn’t produce lettuce. We enjoyed the vegetables we had planned to enjoy.

We reap what we sow. The principle is a familiar one, and Scripture is clear:

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. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6)

When we think of reaping and sowing we think we’ll be able to identify the fruit of what we’re doing right away. But think about the seeds we planted in the garden. We trusted they would grow into what we hoped, but it’s possible seeds could have been mixed up in the store. We needed to know how to identify the potential fruit by knowing the seed that corresponds to it. If we simply believe someone as he tells us “Plant this and it will become a tomato,” we might end up with a tangle of pumpkin vines consuming our garden. Likewise, we must discern what we’re spiritually planting in our lives. Even when an idea sounds good, we need to check it with God’s Word. We need to make sure it’s the right time and place of planting for us, because what season he calls one person into will not match another person’s. His plan is specific, personal, and perfect, so we are wise to follow with attention and intention.

We also think we’ll reap what we sow as if it’s an instant grow capsule. We expect to drop the seed in warm water and – wa-la! – instant fruit in our lives! But our spiritual lives go through seasons, and the development of fruit in our lives requires the progression of seasons. God gives us glimpses of fruit in our lives here on earth, but we won’t see the full blossoming of all fruit until the end of our lives. Eternity reveals our fruit. And just to be clear, I’m not saying if you’re a good person and do good things, your fruit will be fully developed when you die. I’m not saying if you’ve done bad things, there is no hope for a fruitful harvest. God knows our hearts. He knows our motives. He knows our priorities. Most important, he knows our relationship with him, which is what will ultimately matter. He knows if we’ve done good things with or without him. He knows how we’ve relied or avoided him when we’ve made bad choices. He doesn’t guide us through a legalistic life of “do good/avoid bad” requirements. He invites us to draw close to him. As we’re intimate with God, we don’t need to respond in our own values and priorities. His ways consume our ways, and he gives us the Holy Spirit to help us discern how we’re to respond in obedience. He takes care of weaving all the details together.

The following fruit of the Spirit is referred to in Galatians 5:22. Which have you mastered to perfection?

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control

Continue to invite God to be the gardener of your life. He yields the best results – better than you can imagine!

I am the true vine; my Father is the gardener. (John 15:1)