SOWING

Hosea 10:12—Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

Have you ever considered the notion that what you and I say is a form of planting? For example, if I whine constantly I create an environment of dissatisfaction and I reveal an inner discontent with life. If I have a critical spirit and am harsh in the way I feel towards others I create an atmosphere of distrust and rob my surroundings of joy. If I talk only of myself I establish a place of pride and self-centeredness that leaves others with no desire to linger. If I speak of others with unflattering terms or negatively I produce gossip or slander and cause the reputations of those of whom I’ve spoken to wilt. At the same time I’ve created the perception in the listener “I wonder if he talks about me like this when I’m not around.”

Conversation makes a statement as surely as the clothes we wear. But when was the last time someone came to you and said, “I’ve just got to share with you something profound and cool that I read in the Bible” or, “please let me tell you of the awesome time I had with the Lord this morning in prayer”? When was the last time you spoke words of eternal worth to the betterment of your hearers?

Consider also that there may be nothing wrong speaking of sports, food, weather, work, travel, family relationships, heartthrobs, etc. Yet, the absence of God in our conversation reveals the possible truth that He has minor importance in our life. To what good do we build in the lives of others if all we speak of is that which will holds no eternal significance?

We have the opportunity daily to share words that massage the hearts of those who hear us. We have the incredible privilege to live and model godliness so that those around us are blessed. Our Father in heaven doesn’t share trite and trivial words because He has no desire to reap dandelion children. He gives us words of hope and substance, love and power because He wants us to be like Him. What are you sowing? I pray to God that this day and tomorrow you will make a difference in the lives of those around you because God is making a difference in you!

Inspiration
Sow the Word of God, and everyone who listens will get to God. If you sow vows, resolutions, aspirations, emotions, you will reap nothing but exhaustion . . . sow the Word of God, and as sure as God is God, it will bring forth fruit.—Oswald Chambers in The Servant as His Lord