WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING?

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

At the heart of all of life’s principles is the timeless principle of sowing and reaping.

All the processes that impact the quality of life we enjoy are anchored in the eternal principle of ‘sowing and reaping’ or ‘cause and effect’. We know that in farming when we sow a particular seed, we reap its corresponding fruit. That principle of agriculture has a broader application in life. We get out of life what we invest in it. If we sow laziness and carelessness, we will reap poverty and lack. If we sow dishonesty, we reap mistrust. If we sow honest, well-guided labour, we reap the sweet rewards of prosperity.

Every result we have is based on efforts or actions we or others have invested in the past. Whether in our marriages or our careers, we reap what we have sown. The fruits of a happy marriage are harvested from the seeds of trust, respect and love we have sown. Inversely, the fruits of an unhappy marriage are gathered from the seeds of betrayal, dishonour and selfishness we have sown.

• God is not mocked. We cannot trick God to act in our favour or overlook our actions when we set the wrong processes in motion. The scriptures instruct us not to deceive ourselves by thinking that we can escape our actions' consequences.

• Don’t sow to the flesh. The flesh only seeks instant gratification and desires to make itself happy without thinking of consequences. We should not allow our fleshly impulses and wants to control our actions. The flesh corrupts.

• Sow to the spirit. Things of the spirit have eternal consequences. While the flesh only considers immediate pleasure, the spirit finds enduring value. When we sow to the spirit, we shift our viewpoint from just instant satisfaction to eternal reward. The spirit produces abundant life.

What kinds of seeds are you sowing?