Anybody who knows anything about Indiana knows that we grow corn—lots of it. We Hoosiers learn to appreciate the sight of tall, green cornstalks because we know that, before long, we will be sinking our teeth into an ear of juicy, sweet corn.
Now, as a “city girl,” I do not claim to be an expert in corn farming, but I do know that there is a prime planting date. The farmers in our congregation have explained that this year’s planting date has been delayed because of weather and other factors. They are waiting for the right time to plant, for the right condition of the soil, for the right temperatures, and so on.
While the vast majority of us will never be corn farmers, we are all responsible for sowing seeds and reaping a harvest. But ours is a kingdom harvest that is so much more important than corn. The passages of Scripture about sowing and reaping are very familiar to most of us (e.g., Matt. 13, Gal. 6:8-9, 2 Cor. 6:9-15). But we must consider how we are doing with what we have been sent to sow. Are our processes and timing for planting appropriate?
We cannot just throw random seed out to whoever is around; we must engage in methodically planting, through one-on-one discipleship or strategic community involvement.
I have to be honest—it’s a lot easier for me to prepare and preach a sermon on Wednesday night than it is to commit to 12 weeks of our after-school character-building program with rowdy grade-school children. The time commitment of weekly sowing the Word into these kids’ lives is immense. But I believe that it will produce a harvest for His kingdom that will be immeasurable.
We must make sure that all our efforts are missional; a good church activity may not necessarily lead to kingdom productivity. If there is a delay in kingdom productivity, we must find out the reason and make necessary adjustments.
Pause and ask the Lord where He would send you to sow in your community, or into whose life you can begin planting seeds through discipleship. If you have been doing this, let me encourage you to keep going, for “in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).
I pray that God will grant us an abundant harvest. Get ready—today is our prime planting date!
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