Are you ready for some good news?
You can sow into the things of the Spirit and, from the Spirit, to reap a rich, sweet harvest of spiritual fruit.
Paul has some powerful words for the Galatians on the fruit of the Spirit:
“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. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7–9, ESV)
Everything in life operates according to the principle of sowing and reaping. The seeds that are sown determine the fruit that grows. Too often in life, we find ourselves managing fruit rather than paying attention to the seed we sow.
No one says, “I want to have lung cancer one day.” But a lot of people choose to smoke. The seed of the smoking habit can produce the undesirable fruit of a horrible sickness. Or consider a much more common health issue. I’ve recently gained ten pounds I don’t want. I didn’t choose to gain the weight, but I did choose the ice cream … and the cake … and, did I mention the ice cream?
When Paul speaks of reaping what you sow, it’s not bad news (“oh no, I’m doomed by my mistakes”); it’s good news (“new life is always possible because of what I sow!”). To say that you reap eternal life by sowing into the Spirit doesn’t just mean that you get to go to heaven one day – it means that you invite much more of heaven in your life today. As you sow into the Spirit there is more love, more peace, and more patience that grows in you. Here’s the best news of all: God has given you unlimited potential to sow into the Spirit. And that’s the Gospel!
