Sowing and Reaping

Learning to read and enjoying good literature were seeds we consciously planted into our homeschooled children. We cultivated in them a desire to read by first reading to our children when they were young. As they grew older, they mastered phonics rules and eventually became avid readers themselves.

To feed their insatiable appetites for books, the library became our second home. Books were literally hauled to and from the library each week in a large tub. The librarians dreaded our coming and going because of the time involved to process our books. However, taking advantage of this public resource enabled us to nurture a love of literature while subsidizing our homeschool curriculum expenses. Years later, I wasn't surprised when my children reaped the benefits of being good readers by getting their first part-time jobs as librarians.

The law of sowing and reaping applies to our spiritual lives, too. Whether we are children or adults, we plant seeds of righteousness that glorify the Lord (Proverbs 11:18) or seeds that will reap pain, suffering, and death (Proverbs 22:8). Many times, we make choices based on the moment, and we forget that someday there will be a harvest of our actions.

What are you sowing in your life? Are you making choices that produce a harvest of righteousness, or do the seeds of sin seem to be taking over your life? Maybe it's time to step back and let the Holy Spirit pull out the weeds that have begun to choke your spiritual life. "For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 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" (Galatians 6:7b-8).

Lord, help me to plant things in my life that glorify You and weed out things that don't. I claim Your strength again today to stop and pray before I make each decision. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Comments(8 comments)

VERALY M 11/11/2008 14:35:14

Thank you for sharing these beautiful seeds of wisdom with us, parents of homeschoolers. They are precious jewels that enrich our lives.

SUSAN M 11/11/2010 07:16:18

Thanks for the ending reference to the Holy Spirit revealing to us and pulling out the weeds. Being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit is what makes the difference in a holy daily walk or an unholy daily walk.

TRISTA V 11/11/2010 08:36:15

I agree with susan, although, sometimes I don't know which things are weeds and which things are good, so it's best to let the Holy Spirit show me, rather than leaning on my own understanding. Also thanks for the reminder to take back my overdue library books! ; 0)

SHEILA B 11/27/2010 17:47:09

This is a great reminder that home school does NOT have to cost a lot! There are so many resources available for free at the library! With a little time and creativity, you could create an entire curriculm, free, from only the library! Do not let the idea that you must have the "perfect" curriculum keep you frozen in place, not teaching your children! Get to the library and start reading!

AUDRA K 11/11/2011 08:16:55

Thank you for this devotional. It always blesses and convicts me. You are a blessing and an encouragement to me and so many others. Keep up the good work!

KATHY S 11/11/2012 07:55:41

When my son was 3 I started taking him to the Barnes and Noble kids section. I picked out tons of books. I sat there and tried to read to him and he ran around. (ADD & Aspergers, I didn\'t know then)

But, thankfully now he loves to read, BUT, only what he is interested in. So, for this year istead of picking out chapter books for the oral book reports I have him do, I let him piclk out what he wanted at B&N. He picked out a book about the \"Berlin Wall. Over 400 pages long, and he\'s over 1/2 way through!!!

I am a firm believer that even people who don\'t like to read, if you have them pick the right book, anyone can enjoy reading.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

JANET N 11/12/2012 15:31:26

I am struggling with patience and self control when getting frustrated ..... I pray but it seems that my prayers are not working .... could you please pray for me!!! I am failing to show my children Christ like behavior and and I know I need the victory in this area!!! ASAP!!! Thank you!

Anthony Basile 11/11/2013 15:50:17

Very seldom do I leave comments, but I do take joy in reading the devotions and stories. Many times they remind of when I grew up, but today I'm much older and as the father of my homes chooled child it is I tend to those duties while it is my wife who holds the job. A bit unconventional, but I'm physically limited in what I can do as far as work goes due to the fact that we live in a rural part of Wyoming and there is no work for handicapped around here. So the choice we made when it came to teaching is that I do those duties and actually love it. My son and I are close, maybe even closer than a lot of sons and dads. But I do read these devotions and although it's women responding I just wanted to say that many times I get blessed by what I read. So thank you and God bless you. May you always be able to continue these long after your children have graduated.


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