Spring at last. It's been a long winter, eh? The birds are chirping, the sun is shining (sometimes) and things are starting to bud. Flip flops, tank tops, garage sales, riding bikes ... trying on bathing suits (major drag!) ... all signs of a new season. Yes ... spring is here!
I walked around my yard the other day doing a "garden check," just to see what's sprouting up. Every spring, I am always amazed. How can it be that you plant a bulb and six months later you have a tulip? There is something brilliant about the whole seedtime and harvest concept. Plant a seed, reap a harvest.
It's true with plants and I've found it's true with life. This can be either a sad reality or a blessed hope, depending. If you've "sowed" lots of good seed in your lifetime, you're enjoying a delicious harvest in life. If you've not "sowed" much, unfortunately you may be reaping a famine!
Every now and then I do a personal "garden check," just to see if I've sowed a famine or harvest in various areas of my life. Let's take a walk through four gardens.
Family Garden: When we sow into our family ... we reap rich relationships. Is there a famine in your home? Kids spoiled, unfriendly and disrespectful? Is conversation and warmth between you and your spouse non-existent? It's a famine. You probably helped sow it. Change things today. Quit sowing the weeds and begin sowing seeds that will enrich your family ... it may take a season or two or three ... but if you sow you shall reap!
Friendship Garden: When we sow friendship ... we reap friendship. It's simple. The loneliest women I know are the ones who suck everyone dry. They never plant, they take. They've sown a friendship famine. News flash ... if your phone isn't ringing, if no one wants to be your friend — start sowing some friendship seeds! Take the initiative and call someone and invite them out to lunch. Reach out. Be a friend to others and in a season or two you'll reap a rich friendship harvest.
Work Garden: When we sow hard work ... we reap promotions. Who doesn't want to reap a bonus? Who doesn't want a raise? What are you sowing on the job? Many gals spend their time at work planting gossip, laziness and dissing the boss. And they wonder why they aren't reaping more? If you're reaping the status quo ... it's time to sow more at work. Get there early. Stay late. Do something innovative that is above and beyond the call of duty. Plant. Plant. Plant. You'll reap eventually.
Mercy Garden: When we sow mercy and favor ... we reap mercy and favor. Some women are so hard on their husbands, their kids, their neighbors, their boss, friends and co-workers. They reap a mercy famine. Ditch the critical, opinionated, judgmental seeds and sow seeds of acceptance, kindness and patience instead. If you want favors in life, if you want people to cut you some slack and give you a break ... if that's what you want to reap, then start planting it by the truckload! Give everyone in your world a big honkin' "mercy seed"!
"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest ... will never cease." It's a law God set into motion. We do reap what we sow. I hope you enjoy all of your gardens.
Beth
