Sowing and reaping, reminds us that everything begins with a seed, and the choices we make today will produce a harvest in the future. What we sow, hrough our thoughts, actions, relationships, generosity, and obedience, will eventually produce a corresponding harvest, often in a different season and in greater measure than what we originally planted. We are challenged not to wait for perfect conditions, but to start planting now, trusting God with the growth and remaining faithful when we cannot yet see the results. When we sow faithfully and refuse to give up, God is faithful to bring the harvest in His perfect timing.
Proverbs 11:18 (NIV84)
18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Everything starts as a seed.
Genesis 1:11 (ESV)
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.
Nothing happens until the seed is planted.
Whatever I sow is what I reap.
Galatians 6:7 (GNB)
7 Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. People will reap exactly what they sow.
Proverbs 26:27 (ESV)
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
Hosea 10:13a (NIV84)
13 But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil…
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV84)
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
John 4:38 (NLT)
38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
I always reap in a different season from when I sow.
Ecclesiastes 3:2 (NLT)
2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
I always reap more than I sow.
Mark 4:8 (NLT)
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
I can increase my harvest by planting more seed.
2 Corinthians 9:6–7 (ESV)
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Proverbs 11:24 (MSG)
24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
Now is the time to start planting.
Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)
4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
Ecclesiastes 11:6 (NLT)
6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
2 Corinthians 9:10 (NLT)
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
To reap a harvest, I must be patient and not give up.
Mark 4:26–28 (NLT)
26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Psalm 126:5–6 (NLT)
5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
John 12:24 (ESV)
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some examples of good seeds we can plant that may not produce an immediate harvest?
- How can perfectionism, fear, or uncertainty keep us from planting the seeds God is asking us to plant?
- If you looked at the seeds you’re currently planting, what kind of harvest would you expect to see?
Application Questions:
- Is there an area where you need to stop waiting for “perfect conditions” and simply take the first step?
- What good thing have you been tempted to give up on because you haven’t seen the harvest yet? How can you remain faithful?