40 Days Pondering the Fruit of the Spirit

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days PONDERING the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Day 17| GOODNESS
GOODNESS

Galatians 6:9-10
“So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” 
(NLT)

Money is a touchy subject to talk about for nearly everyone. It's embarrassing when you're broke… and when you're doing well, you usually become modest and tight-lipped.

In this section of Galatians, Paul (in the verses just before ours today) talked about paying the teachers/pastors among them. Galatians 6:6 says: "Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them."

The "law of sowing and reaping" is a fundamental teaching throughout Scripture. We reap what we sow.

I like the way long-time pastor Charles Stanley taught it: "We reap what we so, more than we sow and later than we sow."

My uncle had a farm in Kansas. My family visited him many times, and – for a Southern California boy (me) – it was amazing to see all the flat acres carefully plowed, planted, and growing crops. Row after row, acre after acre. And do you know what? He reaped the harvests that he sowed! Imagine that! Plant soybeans… he got soybeans! Plant corn and he got corn!

What if this were true in other non-agricultural areas? Such as sow happiness, reap happiness back. Pray for others, reap prayers from others for you! Sow money, reap God helping you financially! Now, it gets tricky here because we should never GIVE anything to GET. We GIVE (happiness, kindness, prayers, money) out of LOVE, not out of motivation to GET. God is not a vending machine! Nonetheless, today's verse promises that "At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."  

Prayer: LORD, I don't fully understand, but I want to be obedient to YOU and live a life pleasing to YOU. Show me how you want me to "do what is good" – especially to those in the "family of faith." Amen.