Have you noticed some
of the old sayings we commonly embrace aren’t true? For instance, “No news is
good news.” Especially today with cell phones and instant communication, if
you’re worried about a loved one’s well-being, not receiving news isn’t good
news at all. When the phone rings (chimes or chirps), or we receive a text
confirming they’re OK, that is good
news.
We’ve all heard,
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Most of
us have felt wounds inflicted by someone’s unkind words, and often those take
much longer to heal than physical injuries. Just ask a child scarred by a
parent’s constant ridicule – or a cyber-bullying victim.
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| We not only reap what we sow, good or bad, but reap even more of it. |
And then there’s the
beloved adage that tells us, “You reap what you sow.” Actually, this one’s
half-true. If you sow tomato seeds, you’re not going to grow watermelons or
rutabagas. But in reality, we reap MORE than we sow. As the Bible states in
Hosea 8:7, “They sow the wind and reap
the whirlwind.”
Would you consider sowing
a kernel of corn to grow…a single kernel of corn? Of course not. We sow some
seeds of something, like green beans or lettuce or carrots, expecting eventually
to reap lots of vegetables. Hopefully enough to give away to friends and family
members.
We see this reality of
reaping more than we sow in virtually every phase of life. We sow acts of
kindness, and in return not only see people benefiting from our care
but also receive the joy of having helped others. We might even gain new friends
in the process.
An entrepreneur makes
a big investment – time, money, sweat equity – pursuing a dream, not just to
recoup what’s been put into it, but to develop it and receive much in return.
Parents happily dote on their children, providing for their needs, intending
for them not only to survive but also thrive and grow into mature, productive
adults. Aspiring pianists
spend countless hours repeating scales and enduring mind-numbing practice, not to
develop excellence at practicing but to one day become stellar musicians.
I bring this up
because there’s also a downside to reaping more than we sow. Our society seems to
be experiencing the fruits of its “labors,” reaping a lot more than it has sown
– and not always in a good way. Here are a few examples.
During the 1960’s, many
in my generation, the “Baby Boomers,” decided traditional sexual mores were
“puritanical” and aggressively espoused “free love.” Sounded harmless at the
time, but the sowing of this libertine approach to physical intimacy has reaped,
among other things: an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases; cheapening of
the God-created gift of sex, making it seem as inconsequential as a handshake
or going to the bathroom; widespread use of abortion as a form of birth
control; and devaluing of family relationships and commitment.
The old “shoot ‘em
ups” of the early days of TV and the movies were deemed unrealistic, so Hollywood
makeup artists and special effects engineers resolved to create more realistic killing.
They did extremely well. Now mayhem, not only on TV crime shows and films but
also in video games and the Internet, has spawned glorification of violence and
an obsession with blood and gore. I can’t help believing this has contributed
significantly to our increasingly violent culture.
And consider the
decision, in the name of “enlightenment” and “tolerance,” to eliminate
references to religion and the spiritual from the school day. No need to offend
those who either believe differently, or don’t believe at all. Interpretations
of the so-called “separation of church and state” have redefined freedom of
religion to mean freedom from
religion. As a result, the 10 Commandments, which prescribe wholesome
guidelines for living – unless you’re a politician or an attorney, perhaps –
were declared taboo within the halls of public learning.
The Pledge of
Allegiance, which served as a daily reminder of being citizens of our proud
nation, has also been excised from most schools. It seems saying “one nation
under God” through the decades has scarred countless millions of students
irreversibly.
In the years since –
and I don’t believe it’s coincidental – the central problems in our schools have
ceased being things like chewing gum, running in the halls, passing notes
during class, and throwing spitballs, which were the key issues of decades past.
Instead, today we rightfully fret over pervasive drug abuse, violence with guns
and knives, sexual promiscuity, and classrooms out of control.
Proverbs 29:18 states,
“Where there is no (prophetic)
revelation, the people cast off restraint.” Or as another translation puts
it, “Where there is no vision (of God),
the people run wild.” I’m not advocating the forcible imposition of
Christian beliefs. But as someone has wisely quipped, if we stand for nothing
we’ll fall for anything.
As the verse from
Hosea points out, we’ve effectively “sown the wind” and are now “reaping the
whirlwind.” Earlier in the same passage God states, “the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law…. With
their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.”
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