Sowing and Reaping

Verse of the day: Judges 13:5, For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

I will begin by asking a question, “When was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus?” As I read the statement that God was going to use Samson to “begin to deliver Israel”, it reminded me of the fact that God wants to use all of us, in one fashion or another, in leading unsaved people to Christ. God used Samson only to begin to do a work that God would complete using someone else. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 3:5-8, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” Quite often, we shy away from witnessing and telling others about the Lord because we are afraid of the possibility of being rejected. However, we do not know simply by looking at someone whether they are hearing about Jesus for the first time, the third time, or if they are ready to make a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior. The only way we will find out is to open our mouths and say something. The Samaritan woman in John 4 turned out to be a great witness for Christ, after her life-changing encounter with Jesus. When the disciples finally returned, they found themselves in the perfect position to reap where they had not sown. Jesus said this to them in John 4:35-38, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.’” Regardless of what stage we find people in, the fact of the matter is when that person finally comes to Christ, all of us who had a part in leading them to Jesus will be rewarded. We are not all chosen to complete a work that the Lord leads us to start or partake in. However, we must always be ready to serve in whatever manner God calls us to and leave the outcome of our labors in His hands. The very worst case scenario is we end up being persecuted for speaking His Name. Well, guess what? If we are willing to take that chance and it happens, Jesus promised that there would be a heavenly reward for us. Matthew 5:11-12 clearly tells us, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” The bottom line is that we must seek every opportunity to tell people about the wonderful, eternal, gift God has for all those who will put their faith in, and call on, Jesus. So I ask again, “When was the last time you told someone about Jesus?” If you have not lately, how long will you wait?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).