A Man Reaps What He Sows
January 21, 2016//
Topics to Dig Into
Don’t be misled – you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those
who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)
So this is the source for the phrase ‘a man reaps what he sows’. But when we read the complete passage doesn’t it seem like a parent-teen exchange?
Parent:
“There will be consequences.”
“There will be consequences.”
Teen:
“Yeah, right. That’ll never happen.”
“Yeah, right. That’ll never happen.”
Parent:
“Just try me.”
“Just try me.”
Especially with this verse, the original Greek brings the Word to life. Mock, myktērizō, literally comes from the word snout which provides a wonderful visual. Mocking someone means turning your nose up or making faces at them. Has your teen ever rolled his eyes or sneered at you? Have your thoughts ever done the same to one of God’s instructions? Yeah, right.
God will not be mocked. He has told us the consequences of a life lived selfishly. Just you wait and see.
He has also promised everlasting life for those who ‘please the Spirit’. The New Living Translation has a tone of earning the Spirit’s approval. I prefer the Message translation that says ‘living in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him’. Pleasing the Spirit means hearing and responding to God’s guidance.
How do we mock God and His commands?
Are we willing to face the consequences?
#SeedsOfScripture #Consequences
Thanks for sharing your insights , Cathy. I think we'really not so different from our teens!
Great post Cathy. I love the word picture of snout. Mocking God, in my eyes, is blatantly disobeying thinking He is a God of love or He will forgive. I had a friend in grade school who said that she could do anything she wanted during the week because God will forgive her Sunday. I was not saved at the time, but that stuck in my head. Thanks for writing this.