Seeds

Seeds
By Don Vess

Proverbs 11:23-31 (NLT)
23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
30 The seeds of good deeds will become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?

Every Deed Sows a Seed

Every verse above highlights one powerful truth: the principle of sowing and reaping, also known as the law of reciprocity.

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Galatians 6:7-10 (NLT)
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
9 So let’s not get tired of doing good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Even nature confirms this truth: every seed produces after its kind.

Genesis 1:11 (NLT)
Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.”

Key Points About Sowing and Reaping

1.The Level of Sowing Determines the Level of Reaping.
•Sow a little, reap a little. Sow a lot, reap a lot.
•Sow inconsistently, reap inconsistently. Sow faithfully, reap faithfully.
2.Harvest Comes in God’s Timing.
•2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (NLT) reminds us that sowing generously leads to a generous harvest.
3.Prayerful Giving Multiplies the Yield.
•Offerings beyond the tithe are seeds. Pray for God’s guidance in planting those seeds in fertile soil.

The Harvest Principle in Daily Life

•Sow love, reap love.
•Sow patience, reap patience.
•Sow kindness, reap kindness.
•Sow forgiveness, reap forgiveness.
•Sow bitterness, reap bitterness.
•Sow strife, reap strife.

Be intentional with your seeds:
•Sow love in your family for loving relationships.
•Sow faith in God for peace and joy in your life.

Proverbs 16:7 (NLT)
When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

Final Reminder

Sow wisely, consistently, and faithfully. Don’t stop sowing good seeds. At the right time, God will bring a bountiful harvest in your life.