“Reaping What You Sow” by April Boddie

 

 Reaping What You Sow

By April Boddie

Growing up in the South, I’ve heard the term “that child is just a bad seed” on a number of occasions. The saying could not be further from the truth! There is no such thing as a bad seed, for all seeds have a potential for growth in the proper conditions. All people have a potential for growth! What you water and nurture grows, and what you pluck up dies.

As I planted, watered and weeded this, the simple act of gardening, has spoken to me on a life level. The Christian walk is like gardening. Truly what you reap, you eventually sow.

1. You must water your garden daily so that plants stay hydrated, twice a day when it’s hot! It’s in the hottest of the season that the peak of harvest for most summer crops occurs. The heat creates an environment that makes the second watering more detrimental in some cases than the first due to the extreme heat of the mid-day sun.

“But whoever drinks from the water that I give will never get thirsty again-ever! In fact, the water I give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.” John 4:14

We must water our lives daily with the word so we don’t thirst after the world to quench our desires. The devil will package his liquid and advertise it in a way that that if you are in a desert situation, you will find yourself taking a sip, and in some cases, a swallow. It’s of upmost importance that you sip your Jesus juice so that your thirst is satisfied BEFORE you get to the desert.

There will be some days that devil turns the heat up in your home, at work, and in your relationships. In those seasons of extreme heat, read the word before your feet hit the floor AND before you close your eyes. Allow living waters to constantly flow through you and eventually they will begin to flow from you.

2. Focus of your own harvest brothers and sisters. Pay no attention to your neighbor’s garden. They not only have different soil but may not be growing what you are growing. You don’t know what their secret gardening methods look like. Their plants could be fake, they could be mixing Miracle Grow with their water, using manure for fertilization, or God forbid, have fake plants mixed in for a fuller/greener appearance.

Seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your OWN  hands as we commanded you so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

As Christians, it is so important that we focus on our own walk and life. Do not compare your growth or life to your brothers and sisters. They have different generational blessings and curses than you, different thorns, different wounds, hang ups, habits, understanding and most of all, seasons of growth. When you get into the word and commune with the Good Lord daily, you will see growth. In some areas there will be immediate growth, but in other areas there will need to be seasons of lack, life’s storms, seasons where there is so much heat you will think you’re going to faint, and seasons when you are treated so very cold in order to grow. But you will grow and it will be in God’s timing, so there is no need to compare. The sad part about comparing is that it kills contentment (see book, Stop Write There) and often times that “perfect” thing that you have reduced yourself to comparing your mess to, in most cases, is fake! Stay in your lane and operate in your gifting. What God has for them is for them is for THEM! What God has for you is for YOU! Just pray that God’s will be done in your life and all will be well.

3. Weed your garden weekly so that your plants reach their full-growth potential. When weeds are left unkept they choke out healthy growth of new crops and can stunt the growth of the existing harvest. But always remember to get the root or the same weed will grow back. Weeding your garden also gives you a great opportunity to see progress that your crops are making from a very unique view at the root.

In your walk with the Lord, weeds will pop up in your life such as: jealousy, anger, lust, hatred, judgement, vanity etc… I encourage you to call them out and pull them out. Exposing your sin to God, yourself and those you can trust gets to the root of the problem. Don’t beat yourself up, but in most cases the problem is not the enemy but the INNER ME, as my Sista Rashida so eloquently stated. Set aside a day a week and pray Psalms 139:23. Search me o Lord and know my heart try me and know my thoughts. If left unkept they can choke your spirit man and gifts. These weeds can and will keep you from reaching your full upright position in life, in the Lord, and in general.

4. Lastly we MUST cover your garden some type of pesticide to protect your crops from insects. If you fail to apply pesticides, your harvest will be enjoyed by insects before you will ever have a chance to harvest.

Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of us. (1Thessalonians 5:17-18)

We MUST cover our families, our hope, our fears, and our overall Christian walk with prayer. Whether you are a new Christian or a seasoned, tried, and approved church leader, you need to be covered in prayer. The enemy wants nothing more than to find you exposed so that he can eat at your inner-most weaknesses and ultimately your soul. Pray in every season, whether it be a season of abundance or complete drought, give thanks to the Lord for in all this – He is good! Trust the process and KNOW that God can! The word says that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Let’s strive to be the few that the word speaks of.

Lord God, thank You for this day. Thank You for the rain over this thirsty land. Thank You for every seed and season. Thank You God for growth, whether it be an inch or much more, Father, we celebrate it. Lord God, I pray that we will experience the full growth potential that You have designed for us. I pray that we all find our gifts and walk in our gifting. May we be more than just a group of beautiful trees, but may we also produce fruit. Our Father protects us from predators and bullies, both large and small.

In Jesus Name Amen

Tags: april Bodie, comparison trap, gardening, living water, Our City On A Hill, prayer, Soul Food