The wicked man earns deceptive wages. But he who sows righteousness reaps a
sure reward. ~Proverbs 11:18
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. ~Galatians 6:7-10
April Fools!
In honor of the name of the day, April Fools, let’s work with the word, “deceive,” today, since fools are often easily deceived. It just seems appropriate. “The wicked man earns deceptive wages.” Paul, on the other hand tells those of us in the church not to be deceived. “God cannot be mocked.” Paul could have just as easily added, God can’t be deceived either. We are the ones who can be deceived, that’s why both Paul and Solomon urge us to be careful.
What might deceptive wages be? Well, wages are what one earns for his or her work. A wicked person probably continues in his wicked ways because those ways appear to be paying off. They deceive the wicked person into believing that they are being successful. Why be good and put up with hardship and suffering when there is such an easier way to get what you want? They are blinded by their deceptive wages, that look like success, so that they have no need of a savior. They are saving themselves!
The Galatians must have been discouraged. They must have been wondering if the life they had chosen in Christ, was really worth the struggle. They were trying to do life God’s way, with God’s wisdom, but they were having trouble trusting in the unseen when what they could see loomed so large before them.
I think sometimes we can do this in churches. It’s easy to play the numbers game and feel like failures because the world isn’t beating a path to our door. However, “he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Paul echoes this when he says, “A man reaps what he sows.” We don’t see the end product yet, but the harvest time has not yet come. Paul goes on to say that “God cannot be mocked.” He has laid out a reward for those who stay on the path of righteousness and He has prescribed a punishment for the wicked. He has given us wisdom in how to live rightly before Him, our call is to be faithful and trust His process. I know, we’ve covered this all before, but it is something that we need to keep reminding ourselves so that we will not get discouraged and give up, feeling like our efforts are hopeless and not worth it, as the Galatians must have felt.
So, Paul continues his encouragement by saying: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” For, “he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” When we don’t trust this strategy that God has for His people and start grasping to make sure that we get our way, we run the risk of acting like a fool and being tempted to work for what we can see. God is faithful and His ways are sure. Even when we are small, if we are loving, kind, and good to others, especially our fellow pew neighbors, we will reap His reward in the end.
Prayer: Yes, Father, strengthen me to continue to do as much good as I can, for as long as I can, for as many people as I can, while taking care of myself also to make sure that I bear nothing more than Your easy yoke that You have assigned to me. I am willing, with Your encouragement and guidance, to do more than I thought I could, but no more than You ask of me. I pray to be a willing worker in Your harvest field, sowing righteousness, and reaping a harvest of joy! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Will You Let Me Be Your Servant
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. ~Galatians 6:7-10
April Fools!
In honor of the name of the day, April Fools, let’s work with the word, “deceive,” today, since fools are often easily deceived. It just seems appropriate. “The wicked man earns deceptive wages.” Paul, on the other hand tells those of us in the church not to be deceived. “God cannot be mocked.” Paul could have just as easily added, God can’t be deceived either. We are the ones who can be deceived, that’s why both Paul and Solomon urge us to be careful.
What might deceptive wages be? Well, wages are what one earns for his or her work. A wicked person probably continues in his wicked ways because those ways appear to be paying off. They deceive the wicked person into believing that they are being successful. Why be good and put up with hardship and suffering when there is such an easier way to get what you want? They are blinded by their deceptive wages, that look like success, so that they have no need of a savior. They are saving themselves!
The Galatians must have been discouraged. They must have been wondering if the life they had chosen in Christ, was really worth the struggle. They were trying to do life God’s way, with God’s wisdom, but they were having trouble trusting in the unseen when what they could see loomed so large before them.
I think sometimes we can do this in churches. It’s easy to play the numbers game and feel like failures because the world isn’t beating a path to our door. However, “he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Paul echoes this when he says, “A man reaps what he sows.” We don’t see the end product yet, but the harvest time has not yet come. Paul goes on to say that “God cannot be mocked.” He has laid out a reward for those who stay on the path of righteousness and He has prescribed a punishment for the wicked. He has given us wisdom in how to live rightly before Him, our call is to be faithful and trust His process. I know, we’ve covered this all before, but it is something that we need to keep reminding ourselves so that we will not get discouraged and give up, feeling like our efforts are hopeless and not worth it, as the Galatians must have felt.
So, Paul continues his encouragement by saying: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” For, “he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” When we don’t trust this strategy that God has for His people and start grasping to make sure that we get our way, we run the risk of acting like a fool and being tempted to work for what we can see. God is faithful and His ways are sure. Even when we are small, if we are loving, kind, and good to others, especially our fellow pew neighbors, we will reap His reward in the end.
Prayer: Yes, Father, strengthen me to continue to do as much good as I can, for as long as I can, for as many people as I can, while taking care of myself also to make sure that I bear nothing more than Your easy yoke that You have assigned to me. I am willing, with Your encouragement and guidance, to do more than I thought I could, but no more than You ask of me. I pray to be a willing worker in Your harvest field, sowing righteousness, and reaping a harvest of joy! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Will You Let Me Be Your Servant
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