An interesting and unusual proverb is "what you sow is what you reap". You may privately feel intimidated by them and be tempted to give up on doing good because you won’t ever measure up. Here is an expression from the Old Testament: "He who sows the wind will reap the storm." Sowing to the flesh, on the other hand, results in the destructive consequences such as strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, drunkenness, orgies, etc. Required fields are marked *. In addition, Paul cautions believers not to succumb to pride or envy and not to compare themselves to others (5:26–6:4). The focus on giving here is finally and fully on what the givers get back. The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute –. trends.embed.renderExploreWidget("TIMESERIES", {"comparisonItem":[{"keyword":"You Reap What You Sow","geo":"","time":"2004-01-01 2020-08-07"}],"category":0,"property":""}, {"exploreQuery":"date=all&q=You%20Reap%20What%20You%20Sow","guestPath":"https://trends.google.de:443/trends/embed/"}); “You reap what you sow” is a metaphor that has been so much used it became a proverb. Avoid Fainting. The alternative rock band Rage against the Machine included the proverb in their lyrics for the track “Wake Up”. Make it your goal this year to sow to the Spirit and not default to sowing to the flesh. You sow carrots, you reap carrots. In it, the prophet Hosea denounces the people of Israel in a wicked life. We see it several times in King James Bible from 1611, and also in the New Testament. You sow carrots, you reap carrots. In due season, we’ll reap our reward if we don’t give up. As Paul observes, sowing to the Spirit yields delicious fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (5:22). So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. We find the concept of the justice of God, that you reap what you sow, quite clearly in the Bible. Now what’s tricky is that sowing involves a process of time. You sow corn, you reap corn. have done. SlangLang » Terms » You Reap What You Sow. Hence, naturally, what you produce is what you get. You may feel inferior to some of your self-confident, attractive, poised friends who may sow to the flesh in the form of materialism or worldliness. Or maybe fruit has begun to grow but is slow to ripen. While it may be tempting to get impatient or even grow frustrated, this is precisely where faith comes in—faith in the God who ordained the principle that what you sow is what you’ll reap. “They sow the wind, and reap … Whatsoever You Do to the Least of These You Do Unto Me, And the Lion Shall Lie Down with the Lamb. And oftentimes we’ll hear this concept in church and even in the news, when considering crimes that are committed. Old Testament. Hosea 10:12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap unfailing love. Bomber Harris is quoted as saying, “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind”. You Reap What You Sow refers to the same universal concept as “karma”. I was recently watching The History Channel and discovered a new quote for Bible or Not. “To reap” means to gather your crops, while to sow equals to plant them. In … So it is today to those who commit crimes against God and humanity. We find the concept of the justice of God, that you reap what you sow, quite clearly in the Bible. The mission of Biblical Foundations is to help restore the biblical foundations for the family, the church, and society. Though this process is absolutely vital, the time it takes may be trying. Our responsibility is to sow, and the Spirit will produce the fruit. The same law, Paul tells the Galatians, applies to the spiritual realm as well: you’ll reap what you sow. So don’t be deceived; God is not mocked! No doubt you’re aware of the agricultural law: you’ll reap what you sow. Keep quietly doing the right thing. God responds by saying: “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.”. © 2020 • Biblical Foundations™ • All rights reserved, What People Are Saying About Biblical Foundations, Finalists for Best Books in New Testament Studies in 2019, Finalists for Best Books in Old Testament Studies in 2019, Announcing the Biblical Foundations Book Award. God knows what you’re sowing, even though the world around you may be unaware. The same law, Paul tells the Galatians, applies to the spiritual realm as well: you’ll reap what you sow. Today’s Bible quote was made famous during World War II by Sir Arthur Harris (Bomber Harris), the British Marshal of the Royal Air Force during the war, in reference to Nazi Germany. Moderation In All Things, Is It In the Bible or Not. Do you need to reexamine what you’re doing to make sure you’re really sowing to the Spirit in your life? It means that whatever you put into the world, be it kindness, love, excitement, sadness, evil, negativity – it will come back to you. Don’t be discouraged. As Christians, we have the privilege of the Spirit’s presence within us, and we’re told to live by the Spirit (5:14–15) and to allow him to do his work in us and through us. The justice of God will always prevail. The term may also be used in everyday speech, for example if your rude and lazy coworker finally got fired. No doubt you’re aware of the agricultural law: you’ll reap what you sow. Pay attention to me, when you deliver, 18. (5:19–21). There are Old Testament verses that also refer to the principle that we reap what we sow. Hence, naturally, what you produce is what you get. In this way, you’ll produce fruit that will last. A similar quote was mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, when the Israelites started worshipping a gold calf. Now what’s tricky is that sowing involves a process of time. The concept can be understood both in a spiritual sense, that your positive/negative energy will come back to you someday, or simply just in a logical sense: If you are being a dick to everyone around you, they will be a dick to you too. You sow corn, you reap corn. You tell someone “you reap what you sow” when something completely expected happens based on their previous actions. But by the power of the Spirit, put a priority on character development, godly relationships, and spiritual values as you sow to the Spirit and by the grace of God seek to bear witness to Christ in your world. In the end, if the seeds we’ve sown are good, the harvest will be gratifying. “Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,” says King Solomon (Proverbs 22:8). If they sow the wind (unrighteousness), they will reap the whirlwind (destruction). Its value must be sought in the ancient Christian writings. “To reap” means to gather your crops, while to sow equals to plant them. Leave a comment, our readers would love to know what you think. And we hear it from leaders during times of war. The quote has repeatedly been mentioned in various shapes in religious texts, particularly biblical writings. In the final judgment, each of us will have to give an account of what we (not others!) For a while, it may look like nothing’s happening. In this letter, Paul is bringing clarity to confused Christians who are torn between living by faith in the Spirit and relying on the flesh by engaging in external activities apart from God. A similar quote was mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, when the Israelites started worshipping a gold calf. In 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. finished his famous speech by using the proverb. Do you agree? To sow is to plant the seed, and to reap is to gather the crop. In fact, the sowing principle works for both the good and the bad. God and Karma: What a Man Reaps He Will Sow, Whoever Sheds the Blood of Man, by Man Shall His Blood be Shed, Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. In Paul’s day, it was circumcision; in our day, it may be a number of things that amount to sowing to the flesh: putting our children’s education above their character development; prioritizing the way we look over our inner disposition; accumulating material possessions rather than investing in people and relationships—living and sharing the gospel! Don’t give up! And we hear it from leaders during times of war. Every day, we wake up to a set of possibilities. Filed Under: Blog, Missions & Discipeship, Women Tagged With: Blog, Discipleship, Women. Throughout the Bible, sowing is used as a metaphor for one’s actions and reaping for the results of those actions. There are Old Testament verses that also refer to the principle that we reap what we sow. The Old Testament also rejoices in the principle that because of God’s promises, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Psalm 126:5). “You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil,” says the prophet (Hosea 10:13). For this reason we shouldn’t grow weary but keep on doing good. We all know of the outcome of the war, and that Germany did indeed reap the whirlwind. And oftentimes we’ll hear this concept in church and even in the news, when considering crimes that are committed. You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. “You reap what you sow” is a metaphor that has been so much used it became a proverb. In order to help believers defend biblical, historic Christianity, this site provides biblically based, theologically grounded, and missionally oriented resources on a variety of topics. You reap what you sow, they say, and when you sow the seed of the tithe with God, he'll reward you handsomely. The Bible teaches what you sow you will reap. Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people! Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers deliverance on you…