John 4:31-38 Time to Farm

John 4:31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” 33 “Did someone bring Him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. 34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent Me, and from finishing His work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

Jesus uses the analogy of planting and harvesting several times in the Gospels to explain the work of sharing the gospel. Farming was something the people understood. A lot of the work then were day labor jobs. You got up in the morning and went out and looked for something that needed to be done. You negotiated a day's wage with the property owner and went to work. The next day you may work for someone else doing something entirely different. 

Jesus compares this work to sharing the Gospel. Some prepare the soil, breaking up the hardened heart. Gently breaking down the barriers someone has erected due to pain and disappointment. Next, the seeds are sown, sharing scripture, planting curiosity in the minds and hearts. Someone else comes along and waters the seeds, explaining scripture, stirring up the desire to know more. Finally someone different comes along that leads that person to the Lord, bringing them to salvation, helping them become reborn in Christ. 

The Lord doesn't expect us to do it all, He just wants us to do our part. The work we do could be different each day too. One day we may be the sower, the next we may bring in the harvest. The point is to get up each day and go out and look for the work that needs to be done. Can't find it? Ask God to reveal it to us. He will bring the person into our path that He needs us to minister to that day. 

Blessings, Cecilia