“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Don’t worry, I’m not the least bit interested in mocking God. Mocking religion perhaps, but not God. A bit amusing but I’m good with talking donkeys, disembodied hands writing on a wall, and even flat earth theories, but tell me, “you reap what you sow” and all bets are off. Did Jesus reap what He sowed? Perhaps in the long term since He is now seated in victory at the right of the Father, but on Earth? Oh, heck no.
I’m a total disbeliever. Don’t worry, God already knows. I have the fine distinction of having once gotten into a heated argument with a church reader board and this cop drove past a drug deal, over the pile of used needles, waved politely at the guy with expired tabs and no windshield, and decided to just zero in on the greatest threat to our community, this crazy woman preaching to a sign.
It’s a comical memory because I just threw up my hands and said, See Lord, there ya go, I rest my case. I absolutely do not believe you reap what you sow and I’m angry that the church overall is often so shallow, so pigheaded, that they actually believe they are “helping” when they say such things.
Also, absolutely no one seems to know anything about farming anymore. You can totally sow corn and harvest nothing but thistles. Like, duh. Wheats and tares, man. Weeds? Fallow soil?
I don’t know why religion always gets that verse so very wrong, but I think it’s partially a sign of great privilege and Western values. We love our, “you reap what you sow.” It means, if I work hard, make good choices, be a good person, I’ll reap all the fruits of my labor! And the bad guys, the lazy fox, will get nothing. Thank you for the Bible lesson, Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar.
Also, why no, I’ve never even heard of “crop failure?” Aren’t you a brilliant one. Do enlighten me.
I live in a country that is more like a failed nation state. The rich just get richer and the poor just get poorer. The bad guys always win. We’re in a downward spiral. You can’t fight city hall. You have absolutely no voice in your community or in your government. The church is barely breathing and someone is standing on the cord to life support. Every single election is stolen, for years. Kind of funny, people get cranky with me about the stolen 2020 election. I began getting serious about election fraud in 1999! Back in the day they actually taught a chimp how to hack a voting machine and rig an election, but nobody seems to remember those things.
In the Western world, “you reap what you sow” has come to mean, you get what you deserve. It’s a lovely sentiment but it doesn’t really jive with our faith where the rain falls on both the just and the wicked. Also, grace is all about getting what you don’t deserve. Unmerited favor.
We Americans can be kind of nutty sometimes. We love to run around and say, “life isn’t fair” as if this is some great wisdom or something. Then we turn around at the very thought of forgiving student loans and go, wait, you can’t do that, that would be so unfair. They borrowed the money, they should have to pay it off! And both are right, it is exceedingly unfair, especially to those who worked hard and paid off their debt already. What is the reward for being responsible and doing right? A big stamp that says “sucker” right on your forehead.
I live in a political world that doesn’t reward hard work and responsibility, it actually punishes you. Therefore, you do not reap what you sow. The early bird does not get the worm. The best man for the job, does not get the job, it goes to someone’s nephew that just got out of prison and comes complete with tax breaks. I could go on and on, but my point being, no kidding, life isn’t fair! As Christians however, we’re supposed to be making it more fair. We’re supposed to be reflecting the grace we’ve received ourselves, the free gift, out into the world around us.
Instead, we’re mostly just terrified somebody might get something for free that we didn’t, or they’ll move into our neighborhood, or even worse, “those kind of people” will start going to our church.
So if you ask me, which of course no one ever does, but IF you had I would say, Let’s just start reaping what Jesus already sowed. Let’s stop counting our own sheaves and let’s start living like His harvest. I’m not asking to reap what I’ve sown Lord, I’m asking for supernatural, unmerited, unfair, miraculous favor to pour out all over this country, all over individuals, and all over me….
Mostly just because you are good and you are God and I trust you to make it so.
Child Of God said:
I do not follow religion or churches I follow Jesus and agree with you about religion in general.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Good for you! You can’t go wrong following Jesus. 🙂
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Sam said:
Once upon a time I raised peanuts-ten acres or so-, and so I reaped peanuts. Among the peanuts grew cockleburs, morning glories, Johnson grass, pig weed, and random other things. I didn’t reap them, but they were a pain controlling. But if I hadn’t planted peanuts, there would have been no peanut income for me and my family.
Following the verse you quoted is:
Some years the rain came at the wrong time, or not at all, and sometimes disease destroyed most of the crop. That’s the way it is in farming. You just plow it under and plant a fall crop, or turn the cattle in to graze what’s left.
Be of good cheer.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Yayyy, a farmer! There’s a lot of value in understanding the nature of things like disease, drought, weeds, and an early freeze.
A bit funny but Ecclesiastes actually does cheer me up immensely. 🙂
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Sam said:
That was long ago. I’ve been a soldier, jet engine mechanice, finally retiring from Industial Engineering. During most of that time, I ran a few cattle, occasionally pigs, chickens, and a big garden. Once you’ve ever been free and self-sufficient, it’s hard thing to get over. The world looks best in the wide open and from the back of a horse.
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seekingdivineperspective said:
Is it because you read Solomon’s words and think, “Oh good, it’s not just me…”?
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insanitybytes22 said:
Yes! Good point, you’ve solved the riddle. It really is comforting because it does just that, let’s me know, “oh good, it’s not just me..” 🙂
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jsolbakken said:
I don’t think ” as you sow that shall you also reap” refers to a “get what you deserve” attitude.
Galatians 6:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
It’s not about tit for tat measures of retribution, it’s about more generally sowing to the spirit to promote life and goodness and not sowing so much to the flesh because it mostly reaps you a big harvest of corruption.
And notice the exhortation to be encouraged to keep on doing good even though we’re sick and tired, promising us that we shall reap if we faint not. I think it’s more positive than negative.
The use of the word “mock” is what seems to lend it a sharp and maybe even a serrated edge.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Hmmm. Well, I kind of like the word “mocked” in this context. I think it means, God does not fail.
I agree with you, I also do not think ”as you sow that shall you also reap” refers to a “get what you deserve” attitude.” But just the same, that attitude does permeate much of the Western world and has come into the church, too.
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jsolbakken said:
I will agree with you by confessing that I, my self, have always used this verse as one of my favorite cudgels to bludgeon those whom I think are in need of getting what I think they deserved. Now I realize I need to cut it out, lest I get what I deserve.
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MJThompson said:
The Grim Reaper reminds us that the Bible is full of ‘contradictions’….
Remember – “sow the wind, reap the whirlwind”? Haven’t figured out exactly how to accomplish that, but I’m no farmer either.
In this life you shall have tribulation, whether or not you sow it. But as you rightly point out – GRACE covers it ALL – never according to merit. Thank God!
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insanitybytes22 said:
Ha! I often think of the grim reaper when I hear that verse, too. I do not think they are related in any way, but it still pops into my head. His scythe really does come from farming, however. He’s harvesting a crop, bringing in the sheaves, collecting souls.
Amen, “GRACE covers it ALL – never according to merit.”
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seekingdivineperspective said:
As a “privileged” one, I know I have reaped from good seed others sowed before me. (Especially Jesus, as you say.) So now I want to sow good things for the ones who will come after me.
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insanitybytes22 said:
This is a really good point. We might sow seed but the harvest or the fruit goes to someone else. Just because we don’t see the harvest, doesn’t mean there won’t be one. That’s a good thing to keep in mind.
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seekingdivineperspective said:
“Divine perspective”? 😏
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Jim said:
I love how you turned this into a prayer. And…it’s a great prayer!
I react the same way as you, only to a different part of the verse: “God is not mocked.” Oh really? Take a look around Paul, God is mocked all day long, 24/7.
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insanitybytes22 said:
LOL! I think I take that verse more as a promise, not an authoritarian command. So “God WILL not be mocked,” because God WILL not fail.
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MJThompson said:
““God WILL not be mocked,” because God WILL not fail.” Please don’t think I’m being chippy – in layman’s terms I fully agree.
Theological/etymological research I was commissioned to conduct years ago produced these results…
The word “will” is in English translations used to express desire, choice, consent, or in negative constructions – refusal.
Alternately, the word “shall” has intentionally replaced “will” in passages where probability is NOT a consideration, “Shall” denotes what is inevitable or mandatory.
I.E.: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. – Phil. 4:19.
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SLIMJIM said:
Praying for Grace too!
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Mel Wild said:
“Let’s just start reaping what Jesus already sowed. Let’s stop counting our own sheaves and let’s start living like His harvest. I’m not asking to reap what I’ve sown Lord, I’m asking for supernatural, unmerited, unfair, miraculous favor to pour out all over this country, all over individuals, and all over me….”
Sign me up! 🙂
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insanitybytes22 said:
Amen! Me too, mel. ☺
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