The Irrevocable Laws of Sowing.

It is important that each of us becomes mindful of what we are sowing because our harvest will correspond to what we plant- Galatians 6:7. The warning “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap,” should make you very careful of what you sow. The law or principle operates both positively and negatively. The more you sow to the Spirit, the more you will reap the blessings of a righteous harvest. Likewise, the more you sow in the flesh, the more you will reap the sorrows of unrighteous harvest. This law shows us why it is better to be born again earlier in life than later- 2 Corinthians 9:6. Those who faithfully labor under difficult circumstances will produce a rich harvest in the future, for our heavenly Father always keeps His promises.

Today is the father of tomorrow. What we are today is the result of what we have been thinking and the way we have lived in the past. Those who save wisely today will have plenty tomorrow. Those who spend everything they have today will have little or nothing in the future.

The nation of Israel had to learn this in a very personal way. Their waywardness and failure to do what God instructed them to do often placed them in a position where they would not have His blessings. The Lord gives principles in scripture to serve as warnings and as an encouragement- Galatians 6:7. Every farmer understands the meaning of this principle: We reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow. Let’s look at each part of the principle to make sure we understand its full implications:

1. The principle applies to everyone, both Christians and non-Christians.

This principle is irrevocable; there is no escape, either for the believer or for the unbeliever. It is a law of life. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.” Herein lies the root cause of the careless and indulgent lifestyle of many people. They are deceived. To mock God is to turn up one’s nose at Him, to hope to outwit Him- a foolish thought, as 2 Corinthians 5:10 reveals.

2. We reap what we sow.

The fact that we reap what we sow is good news for those who sow good habits but a frightening thought for those currently involved in ungodly activities like promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, neglect of family, or mistreatment of others in order to climb the ladder of success. We cannot sow disobedience to God and expect to reap His blessing.

3. We reap more than we sow.

Farmers plant their seed because they expect to harvest a great deal more than they sow. A single seed that sprouts can yield dozens, even hundreds of seeds. It is the same way with both sin and righteousness- a small decision to do either good or bad reaps a much bigger crop, for either joy or sorrow. Jesus used the picture of a sprouting seed to show that when we allow God’s Word to produce good things in us, the results multiply- Matthew 13:23. Prophet Hosea also describes what awaits those who choose to sow seeds of wickedness- Hosea 8:7. In Hosea 8:7, God says that Israel had planted wind and would harvest a whirlwind. The wind here means something worthless and foolish. Proverbs 11:29, Ecclesiastes 1:14.

4. We reap later than we sow.

Some are deceived because their present seed does not appear to be producing an immediate crop. So, they continue down their course, mistakenly believing that there will never be a harvest. But unlike the crops of the field, which get harvested at approximately the same time each year, there is no regular timetable for the harvest of life. Some crops we reap quickly; others take a long time. But do not be deceived- their season will come.