“You’re gonna reap just what you sow”
The end of Lou Reed’s classic song, Perfect Day runs the chorus “You’re gonna reap just what you sow” several times. It’s a haunting repetition of the biblical principle about getting back what we put in – whether good or bad. Sowing and reaping is one of God’s natural laws – of course there are other contributing factors to this principle but it’s generally true and usually things pan out in accordance with it.
On this basis perhaps we should not be surprised that through greed and exploitation we have
hit the global buffers. Also, what has been sown in our generation will most likely be reaped by the next. It’s the law of cause and effect. Perhaps there is such a level of self-centredness that we’re not too bothered by consequences, so long as we don’t get too damaged personally?
If the principle of sowing and reaping were applied vigorously in the really crucial areas where investments are needed, the whole of society could benefit. Imagine the consequences in family life if husbands sacrificially love their wives and gave everything to demonstrate their love, or wives who made their goal the well being of their husbands and family. What about politicians who genuinely invested their time and energy into shaping communities and nations rather than focusing on personal gain and security? Business leaders who seek to treat people fairly – whether those they employ or those they themselves owe money to? Can you comprehend the idea of bankers who have conscience and who look to operate without exploitation and greed? Perhaps those with material wealth looking to give kindly and appropriately to the poor and the needy? And so we could go on.
In Reading, leaders of churches and Christian organisations have been meeting together weekly for the last 12 years to pray for the area. Specifically we have been praying blessing on all aspects of community life including politics and council, police and services, education, health, business, the streets and communities, the football team and leisure. Just about everything we can think of. After about 9 years we realised that we were becoming the answer to our own prayers. That is, God gives blessing as a result of people living in unity (good, honourable relationships together). It’s fascinating that both Reading MP’s have done so well in not putting in outrageous claims for their expenses.
Perhaps we are beginning to reap what we sow – not only in prayer (please appreciate the phenomenal power of prayer) but by being responsive to being part of the answer.
In Reading this unity and prayer is becoming fruitful in other ways. Many of the great body of people in all the churches are realising that they are potentially the answer to the prayers being prayed. They are getting active in serving the communities and especially caring for the poor and needy.
There is more and more sowing going on.
This means, in due course there will be more and more reaping.
This in turn provides the resources for more and more sowing.
We might even find ourselves singing, “It’s such a Perfect Day, I’m glad I spent it with you” to our wives, husbands, children, families, friends, communities, the poor and needy, the business communities. Let the sowing increase and the story unfold. | 