Sowing and Reaping

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  Galatians 6:7

I suppose this verse is as good as any for Friday, the 13th, a day that superstitious folks attribute to a day of bad “luck” and misfortune.  The day of the week or day of the month has nothing to do with “bad luck”, and “bad luck” is only an excuse in people’s minds that accounts for unpleasant or miserable circumstances.  There is no such thing as bad luck or good luck for that matter.

Many of our problems, not all, but many are brought on by our own bad decisions and/or questionable behavior.  We can’t act selfishly, dishonestly, or ignorantly and expect to be blessed.  It doesn’t work that way.  We may get by for awhile, but intentional wrongdoing has a way of catching up with us.  I’ve experienced it myself and have seen others experience the reaping of the results from a bad thought or action that was sown.  Someone might cheat another out of some money and then a few weeks later, his or her car or washing machine breaks down, usually costing more than the amount he or she received by deceiving another.  But when this happens, the cheater/deceiver never seems to be able to make the connection.  As the old saying goes: “for every action there is a reaction.  Or, as the old gospel song says, “You can’t do wrong and get by.”

I ran across a quote by Matthew Henry in his Bible Commentary as I was studying this morning.  He wrote, “None are so effectually deceived as those that deceive themselves.”  Sometimes we deceive ourselves into thinking that telling a little “white” lie is o.k., or that not bothering to return a borrowed item to another or returning it broken or dirty is no big deal.  Here’s one that lots of folks use when not wanting to speak to someone on the phone, “Tell them I am not here” when you are there.  What about cheating on your income taxes?  We say, “Well, the government gets enough of my money already, and besides I don’t like the way they spend my tax money.”  I don’t like paying taxes either, but I had rather pay them and grumble about it than feel guilty for cheating.  Besides, Jesus said for us to “render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).  I really enjoy giving unto the Lord, but giving to the government–not so much.

Of course every breakdown or other unpleasant circumstance is not a result of reaping what is sown.  Stuff breaks down.  Bad things happen because we live in a sin cursed world.  But to intentionally cheat, stretch the truth, or sow discord among others is to mock a holy, righteous, loving, and merciful God, and He can’t let that go, especially of His own children of whom He deserves excellence.