Do We Really Reap What We Sow?
“Sin will take us further than we wanted to go, keep us longer than we wanted to stay, and cost us more than we wanted to pay.” Ouch. Truth hurts sometimes. Judah reminds us of our loving Father who sacrificed greatly to have a relationship with us…while we were still sinners.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7
My mom always said, “you reap what you sow”, and boy was momma right. At the time I thought it was some old wives tail, but now I’m old enough to have reaped a few harvests from my previous actions, and this poor farmer wishes he’d paid closer attention to his mom’s “sowing class”.
Every time we choose an action, we also choose (willingly or unwillingly) the consequences or effects of that action. Let’s take it one step further and say that every time we sin, we also choose the consequences of that sin….even if we don’t know how far they reach!
You may be saying to yourself, “I don’t have to worry about consequences because I’m washed in the blood of the Lamb” … Well preacher, you’re right! Kind of… Our actions may not be affecting the outcome of our salvation, but they’re not exempt from practical costs. After all, if a child lies to their father they may not get kicked out of the house, but they will likely lose some privileges.
Here are a few things scripture tells us about the effects of our sin:
- First, rejoice in the fact we serve a God who chose to take on all our sin so we no longer have to pay the penalty of death we deserve (Romans 3:23, Romans 8:1). If we are in relationship with Christ, then we no longer have to worry about facing an ETERNAL consequence.
- God disciplines those He loves… once we accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus, we are no longer in view of God’s judgment. However, absence of judgment does not mean absence of discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6). God’s judgment and wrath are for His good, but His discipline is for our good; in order that we would share in His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). So remember, we can expect to be lovingly disciplined by our heavenly Father.
- If you plant a mustard seed, don’t expect to grow a tree full of chocolate bars. “The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward” (Proverbs 11:18b), but “whoever sows injustice reaps calamity” (Proverbs 22:8a).
- Sin can easily lead to more sin (Ephesians 4:18-19). Addictions aren’t formed instantaneously. Typically, no one drinks the first drink, takes the first look, inhales for the first time to become an addict. One barrier is broken down, then the next, and the next, and so on… When we live in sin, it’s easy to lose sight of the painful effect it has on our lives and those around us. Don’t try to deceive yourself into thinking “this is the last time I’ll choose to ______”. Every “last time” adds another layer to the callous on our hearts.
It’s important to remember that what we do and say has an effect on the immediate and the future, even if we didn’t have the intention to do so.
Camper Corner:
Sowing seeds is the same thing as planting seeds, just like a farmer does. What do you think it means when the Bible says that we will reap what we sow? What’s the last thing you’ve done wrong and had to face consequences for?
