“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV)
Imagine being in a third world country watching as a tribe of people literally get down to their very last. A drought has hit the tribe and they are deviated and their supply of corn has been stretched to the limit. As you stand at the run-down mud refuge you see a father take one of the last bags of dried corn out of his families store room. This corn could have been pounded into meal to make the cakes that was the staple of the family’s diet. But, instead, he by passes the table and take the corn to the field where he sowed the seed into the ground. As you look into the father’s eyes tears begin to form and fall making streaks through the dust and the dirt on his cheeks. What has caused this father to be moved to tears? IT HURTS!!! It hurt to put into the ground what might be his family’s last meal. Yet he knew that without sowing that seed his family would certainly starve the next year. So he sowed with tears knowing that he would one day reap with joy.
I know I took the long way on this one but what’s the lesson? That we should give away our last meal? Surely not! The lesson is this.... it’s not always easy to “Generate Generosity!” When we talk about “Giving Cheerfully” it can sound as if giving is always an easy thing to do. That simply is not true. For those who give there is often the strange mixture of sacrifice and joy. You know that you’re doing what is right and yet it is often hard to let go. That’s true when we give our time, our treasure [money], our talents or ourselves.
But the truth is... there is an inevitable law of sowing and reaping at work. It’s a natural law. It’s a spiritual law. Those Who Sow In Tears WILL Reap With Joy. The result of our sacrificing to meet other’s needs is not just a feeling of satisfaction, well being or “having done the right thing.” It is JOY! What is joy? It is an overflowing sense of God’s perspective on life, an overwhelming experience of God’s presence in life and an overarching knowledge of God’s security for life.
Family discussion question: Can you remember a time when it was difficult for you to give something? (Everybody in the family can answer this, even preschoolers can think of an answer to this question!)
Imagine being in a third world country watching as a tribe of people literally get down to their very last. A drought has hit the tribe and they are deviated and their supply of corn has been stretched to the limit. As you stand at the run-down mud refuge you see a father take one of the last bags of dried corn out of his families store room. This corn could have been pounded into meal to make the cakes that was the staple of the family’s diet. But, instead, he by passes the table and take the corn to the field where he sowed the seed into the ground. As you look into the father’s eyes tears begin to form and fall making streaks through the dust and the dirt on his cheeks. What has caused this father to be moved to tears? IT HURTS!!! It hurt to put into the ground what might be his family’s last meal. Yet he knew that without sowing that seed his family would certainly starve the next year. So he sowed with tears knowing that he would one day reap with joy.
I know I took the long way on this one but what’s the lesson? That we should give away our last meal? Surely not! The lesson is this.... it’s not always easy to “Generate Generosity!” When we talk about “Giving Cheerfully” it can sound as if giving is always an easy thing to do. That simply is not true. For those who give there is often the strange mixture of sacrifice and joy. You know that you’re doing what is right and yet it is often hard to let go. That’s true when we give our time, our treasure [money], our talents or ourselves.
But the truth is... there is an inevitable law of sowing and reaping at work. It’s a natural law. It’s a spiritual law. Those Who Sow In Tears WILL Reap With Joy. The result of our sacrificing to meet other’s needs is not just a feeling of satisfaction, well being or “having done the right thing.” It is JOY! What is joy? It is an overflowing sense of God’s perspective on life, an overwhelming experience of God’s presence in life and an overarching knowledge of God’s security for life.
Family discussion question: Can you remember a time when it was difficult for you to give something? (Everybody in the family can answer this, even preschoolers can think of an answer to this question!)
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