‘Tis Always the Season for Sowing and Reaping

Here many of us are in the dead of winter, gazing at barren tree limbs, dormant flower beds and maybe even a coating of snow on the ground. Because of this, most of us probably aren’t giving a lot of thought to things like planting flowers or vegetable gardens. But one doesn’t need a green thumb to be actively engaged in the process of sowing and reaping year-round.

Recently I was reminded of this while reading a familiar quote tagged at the end of a friend’s email. It read:

Sow a thought, and you reap an act.

Sow an act, and you reap a habit.

Sow a habit, and you reap a character.

Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

 

This isn’t talking about little seeds and different forms of vegetation; it concerns something much more important. It’s about the little things we do each day which don’t seem to matter, but if cultivated, repeated and nurtured over time, make a dramatic difference in the course of one’s life.

One example many of us can easily relate to is snacking at night. My wife and I will be watching TV, only an hour or so after eating a hearty dinner, and I’m thinking, ‘What can I eat?’ It’s often because I’m seeing folks on the TV screen eating something, or I’ve just viewed a commercial about potato chips or some fast-food restaurant. My stomach is still full, but suddenly, I’m “hungry.”

 

If this were just a one-time or occasional occurrence, it wouldn’t be a problem. But it happens night after night, same scenario. I had the thought initially, then I acted on it. When I acted on it again, it started to turn into a habit. If the habit becomes a dominating part of life, it affects my character. Then, potentially, it can affect my destiny.

 

We could apply this behavioral progression to many things, ranging from spending practices to alcoholism to viewing salacious content on the computer. Name the controlling behavior and you can bet it started as a simple thought, advanced into an act, turned into a habit, slowly shaped a character and then, perhaps, transformed into a destiny. From a negative perspective, that’s how addictions are created.

 

“You reap what you sow,” it’s said. But in truth, we reap much more than we sow. Whoever planted a kernel of corn with the intention of reaping just one more kernel of corn? Or placed a tomato plant in a garden with hopes of it producing a single tomato?

 

The key, it seems, is not to steer clear of the sowing and reaping principle, but to be cautious about what it is we’re sowing. This is one reason Proverbs 4:23 warns us to, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” What are your affections? What are those things that dominate your thoughts and attention?

 

In Proverbs we find several passages that deal with sexual temptation, with good reason. While they’re directed toward younger men, these warnings apply equally to men and women. After observing that, “The lips of an adulteress drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword,” the writer sternly warns, “Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house…. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent” (Proverbs 5:3-11). A grim image, for sure.

 

The Ten Commandments are viewed by some as a series of do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations handed down by a spoilsport deity. But in reality, they’re guidelines for successful, joyous living. They prescribe for us where we should direct our hearts – and where we shouldn’t. If we ever wonder, “How should I guard my heart?” the commandments provide answers.

 

As recorded in Exodus 20:1-17, commandments 1-4 address our relationship with God, making Him the foremost priority of our lives: Have no gods other than the one true God. Don’t worship idols. Don’t misuse or profane God’s name. Designate a day for rest and renewal, just as He rested after His six days of creation.

 

The remaining commandments concern our relationships with others, including our parents, neighbors and strangers. The sixth commandment instructs “Do not murder,” a teaching Jesus later clarified in His “sermon on the mount” to include harboring angry, destructive thoughts toward others. “You have heard that it was said to people long ago, ‘Do not murder,’ and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment…” (Matthew 5:21-26).

 

Commandments 7-10 address adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting the possessions of another. In each case, these are actions that most likely don’t arise from random impulses, but have followed the pattern of sowing first a thought, then an act, then a habit, which shaped a character, and perhaps led to the formation of a destiny.

 

So, while gazing from the warmth of our homes at a cold, bleak outdoors, it would be wise to remember that we’re still cultivating, sowing and reaping. Are we guarding our hearts by following Jesus’ admonition to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… [and] love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31), or are we sowing negative actions and habits that will result in regretful consequences?

Needed: A Hefty New Supply of True Grit

Years ago, not long after a friend of mine had relocated to the South, he went to a local restaurant for breakfast. “Would you like some grits?” the server asked him. A bit puzzled, my friend responded, “I’ve never had grits, so I don’t know if I’d like them. Could I just have one grit?”

 

Suffice it to say, this wasn’t a fellow who had experienced a gritty lifestyle. At least in the Southern sense of the word. But there’s a vast difference between grits and grit. These days it seems grits are in much greater supply than grit.

 

One of the classic western films, at least for John Wayne fans, was the original “True Grit,” released in 1969, about a rough-and-tumble U.S. marshal named Rooster Cogburn and a determined orphan girl, Mattie Ross, who wants Cogburn’s help in apprehending her father’s killer. Over the course of the film, both Cogburn and Mattie display an amazing amount of “true grit” in overcoming many difficulties.

 

What is grit, anyway – and why do we need it? One dictionary says grit is “firmness of character, indomitable spirit; pluck.” Wikipedia defines it as “…an individual’s perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal or end state…the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie on the path to accomplishment.” 

When we think of individuals who have made the greatest contributions to our world, whether through invention and innovation, leadership, or other forms of exceptional achievement, the presence of grit has typically been prominent in their lives.

 

Recently I saw the film “Greater,” about Brandon Burlsworth, a former walk-on whose grit and determination resulted in his becoming a three-year starter and All-American for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team. Although he died in a car crash just days after being drafted by the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, Burlsworth’s life remains a source of inspiration to this day.

 

Grit has been a singular American trait throughout its history, but judging from what we see in some segments of our society, it has become conspicuously absent. College students fleeing to “safe zones” to avoid being confronted with ideas that don’t align with their own. People expecting handouts rather than expending the necessary effort to get what they want. Individuals consistently playing the “victim card,” refusing to accept responsibility for their own actions.

 

Who’s to blame for this? Speaker and leadership coach Brian Kight points to adults failing to teach and model gritty qualities for younger people. He says, “Want ‘grittier’ kids? Show them grit. Show it to them in all your actions. They’re watching you. Teachers expect grit from students, but then complain about changes from the school district. Coaches expect grit from players, but then complain about refs calls. Parents want grit from kids, but then complain about taxes, traffic, and their boss. If grit is so powerful, prove it.”

 

We can’t find the word “grit” in the Scriptures, but its qualities are expressed in many ways. The apostle Paul probably had grit in mind when he wrote, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope” (Romans 5:2-3). Having experienced more than his share of adversity, Paul knew about this firsthand.

 

James 1:2-4 offers similar sentiments: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 

 

There’s a tendency for us to choose paths of least resistance, the easy way that demands minimal effort and sacrifice. But that’s not the option for followers of Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The so-called “Christian life” is one of grit, perseverance and sacrifice.

 

As Kight observed, if we expect our children and even younger people we influence to develop these traits, the onus is upon us to demonstrate them in action. This is why Paul the apostle boldly declared, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice” (Philippians 4:9). The disclaimer, “Do as I say, not as I do,” had no place in his lifestyle.

 

A tree develops its hardest wood during times of adversity that require grit. A moth emerges from a cocoon prepared to fly through grit. And achievements are most satisfying not when they’re handed to us, like participation trophies in youth sports, but when they have been attained via the proverbial blood, sweat and tears. The sooner we learn that – and in turn, teach it to others – the better.

Reaping Positives from Life’s Negatives

Sometimes we learn more from life's gutter balls than from its strikes.

I hate to exercise. But I love to have exercised (past tense.) Even though I’ve maintained a steady exercise routine for a couple of decades, more often than not, I conduct a brief debate with myself over whether to work out that day. Why exert today when you can put it off until tomorrow?

Yet, most times I relent and go anyway. The first few minutes are like trying to push a wet noodle up hill, but after I’ve warmed up it becomes a bit easier. Before I know it, the 45 minutes or hour I’ve designated for working out have passed. Then I’m very pleased I went to exercise – because it’s over.

I know a consistent workout is good for me, and even with the passing of years, I’m much healthier today than I would have been if I’d chosen not to go through the pain and strain. So in retrospect, I guess I don’t really “hate” exercising as much as I claim.

This principle applies to everyday life as well. Who among us would eagerly line up for financial struggles, family discord, work challenges, or health issues? We want our lives to be a smooth ride, kind of like sliding rapidly down a bobsled run – except without the precarious twists and turns. But in reality, it’s the difficulties that shape us, building character, perseverance, confidence and faith.

I don’t know who originated these thoughts, but they ring true: Pain leads to patience; hurt leads to humility; and suffering leads to strength. 

We find this affirmed in the Scriptures. Romans 5:3-6 tells us, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

To assure us that’s not a misprint or mistranslation, James 1:2-4 declares, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Walking or running on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike and lifting weights produce a good physical workout that tones and strengthens muscles, builds stamina and enhances our overall physical well-being. Circumstances in life can do much the same, challenging our resolve, helping us to build determination and, if we’re willing, strengthening our trust and faith in the Lord. For whatever reason, success and good times – those moments when we can revel in carefree living – can’t do that for us.

So, like exercising, I have hated going through money struggles, career uncertainties, family conflicts, some serious health challenges, even times when I’ve questioned my faith. But I’m thankful to have gone through each of them. They taught me a lot about myself – and even more about the Lord and the absolute confidence I can have in Him.

At the same time, I know the adversities haven’t ended. Just when we complete one stage of life and think, “Phew! Glad that’s over with!” along comes another one with its own menu of difficulties. But I’m okay with that, because as the anonymous writer said, pain leads to patience. Hurt leads to humility. Suffering leads to strength. And who among us couldn’t use a little more patience, or humility, or strength?

Character vs. Reputation

“Character is who you really are. Reputation is who people think you are.”

A speaker made this statement recently and I’ve been pondering it since. I’ve heard character defined as “who you are when no one’s looking.” Experience tells me these statements are true because too often I’ve discovered the public face people present is not always an accurate reflection of who they are in private. In other words, what you see – or think you see – isn’t always what you get.

Perhaps the classic current example of this is Jerry Sandusky, who for decades built a reputation not only as an accomplished chief assistant coach to Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno, but also as a man with great compassion for troubled boys. This “great compassion” many presumed Sandusky possessed turned out to be the mask for a devious sexual predator.

If only we could see behind the masks.

This distinction between character and reputation is particularly significant at this time of year as political candidates desperately seek to convince us of their worthiness to be elected. They are all putting their best face forward, enticing us with ready smiles, clever rhetoric, apparent concern and genuineness. They're selling us an image. “Would I lie to you?” they all seem to be asking, sincerity oozing from their pores.

But that’s the problem: We really don’t know these people. We only know what we see – actually, what they’re willing to let us see. And their opponents are eager to make us believe what we think we’re seeing isn’t true at all.

How do we determine who’s right? I’d like an easy answer to that.

But that’s why character – and not reputation – is most important to God. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we’re told, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Perhaps to underscore that point, Proverbs 16:3 says, “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

Good character gives birth to a good reputation, but a good reputation does not ensure good character.

As I watch those aspiring for public office make bold promises, assuring me they are far more capable and better suited for office than their opponents, I think, “I hear their words and see their polished gestures and expressions, but wish I could see their heart.”

At times I’ve been disappointed to learn people weren't who I thought they were, but apparently that’s not a problem the Lord ever had. As curious followers clamored for Jesus after witnessing His miraculous acts, it says, “Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man” (John 2:23-24).

In a way, that’s good news: I needn't bother trying to fool the Lord, or attempt to convince Him I’m something I’m really not. He knows already. And He says, “I’ll take you as is.”