I'm not sure if it was what was said to me, or only what I heard. As I have gotten older I realize that there is often a large gap between the two.
Sometimes it is using short hand that is not clear to both parties. (i.e. PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association and Plain Text Alternative and 87 other things familiar to a wide range of folks). Sometimes it is assuming a common set of experiences such as at a family reunion where someone says, "It is just like Uncle Frank's teeth" and everyone laughs except a new bride who has not yet heard that family story and a child just now old enough to ask what that means. Sometimes we are simply not listening closely enough to our co-conversant to realize we are talking at cross purposes.
But however it happened, I heard the negative when I was taught this passage from Galatians 6:7: You reap whatever you sow. When I hear this I tend to think about not sowing anger or discontent or lies, each of which is appropriate to avoid like the plagues they are. But, honestly, I struggle to "not do the bad thing" because then I'm too focused on what I'm NOT needing to do. Maybe this is why I was drawn to this change in perspective:
I have been thinking about "reaping what I sow" considering equally my need to be sowing good things. I need to be planting kindness, courtesy, patience, honesty, sharing perspective gently, being available, being generous, doing the better thing, expecting a good outcome while accepting with mercy that something less is completely possible. Just doing a little more of these good things can make my life better, even as it offers a bit of love or hope or joy to someone else's day.
Dear Lord, I will never in this life completely eliminate all weeds from my garden, but I thank You for Your persistent Good Will for my highest good. Help me to avoid sowing weeds into my life. But also teach me to actively and intentionally sow the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) into the nooks and crannies of my day and life. Send Your Spirit to enlighten and empower better choices that I might surrender to Your kind plans for my day today. I love You. AMEN
Sometimes it is using short hand that is not clear to both parties. (i.e. PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association and Plain Text Alternative and 87 other things familiar to a wide range of folks). Sometimes it is assuming a common set of experiences such as at a family reunion where someone says, "It is just like Uncle Frank's teeth" and everyone laughs except a new bride who has not yet heard that family story and a child just now old enough to ask what that means. Sometimes we are simply not listening closely enough to our co-conversant to realize we are talking at cross purposes.
But however it happened, I heard the negative when I was taught this passage from Galatians 6:7: You reap whatever you sow. When I hear this I tend to think about not sowing anger or discontent or lies, each of which is appropriate to avoid like the plagues they are. But, honestly, I struggle to "not do the bad thing" because then I'm too focused on what I'm NOT needing to do. Maybe this is why I was drawn to this change in perspective:
I have been thinking about "reaping what I sow" considering equally my need to be sowing good things. I need to be planting kindness, courtesy, patience, honesty, sharing perspective gently, being available, being generous, doing the better thing, expecting a good outcome while accepting with mercy that something less is completely possible. Just doing a little more of these good things can make my life better, even as it offers a bit of love or hope or joy to someone else's day.
Dear Lord, I will never in this life completely eliminate all weeds from my garden, but I thank You for Your persistent Good Will for my highest good. Help me to avoid sowing weeds into my life. But also teach me to actively and intentionally sow the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) into the nooks and crannies of my day and life. Send Your Spirit to enlighten and empower better choices that I might surrender to Your kind plans for my day today. I love You. AMEN
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