Anybody who has ever planted a garden knows you can't put tomato seeds in the ground in April and expect okra in August. Whatever you plant is what comes up.
Galatians 6:1-10 — KJV
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden. 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 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. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:1-10 — WEB
1 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else. 5 For each man will bear his own burden. 6 But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches. 7 Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
Explanation
Paul wrote Galatians to a group of churches in what is now central Turkey that were arguing about whether new believers had to follow the old ceremonial law to belong to God. Paul spends most of the letter insisting that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. But by chapter 6, he turns practical. Grace doesn't make how we live unimportant. It makes it beautiful.
He starts with how to treat someone who has fallen. Restore that person gently, and watch yourself, because you could be next. Carry each other's burdens. Don't think you're more than you are. Test your own work instead of measuring yourself against somebody else. Take care of the people who teach you the Word.
Then Paul uses an image every farmer in Galatia understood: whatever a person sows, that is what they will reap. "God is not mocked" means you can't fool Him. You can't plant selfishness and expect a harvest of peace. If we sow to the flesh, feeding our worst desires, the harvest is decay. If we sow to the Spirit, the harvest is life that lasts forever. And then the encouragement: don't get tired of doing good. The harvest comes "in due season," if we don't give up.
Sunday's lesson is a harvest story. For years Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, sowed contempt. They took what wasn't theirs from the offerings and abused women who served at the tabernacle door. Eli scolded them, but he never removed them. He honored his sons more than he honored God. Galatians 6:1 calls spiritual people to restore those who fall, gently but truly. Eli did neither. He just let it ride. Then one terrible day at the battle of Aphek, all those years of seed came up at once. That is what leadership run amok reaps, and sadly, it's often innocent people who stand in the field when the harvest comes in.
But the law of sowing and reaping cuts both ways, and that's good news. Every quiet act of kindness, every bill paid honestly, every bedtime prayer with a child, every time you held your tongue when you wanted to cut somebody down, is a seed. Some of those seeds take years to come up. You may be tired of planting with nothing to show for it yet. Paul says keep going. The harvest is real. Don't quit before your season.
Thought for the Day
Keep planting good. Harvest is coming, if we don't quit.
Reflection Question
What are you sowing this week, at home, at work, or online, that you would not want to harvest?
Prayer
Lord of the harvest, help us to be honest about what we've been planting. Where we've sown selfishness or let wrong things ride, give us the courage to pull those weeds up now. Give us strength to keep doing good when we're tired and see no results. And make us people who restore the fallen gently instead of looking away. In Jesus' name, amen.
This week we walk toward Sunday's lesson: The Glory Departs.