Read: Galatians 6:8  |

The concept of sowing seeds is foreign to most of us in our modern society. We live in a society of consumers, we eat what others produce and grow. The farmers, ranchers, fishermen and others like them are the producers. They work to provide food to the marketplace. In fact, if I were to walk in a field with a farmer, I am not sure that I could tell the difference between collard greens and an over-sized weed.

However, when Paul wrote this book the society was still heavily agricultural. Thus, the metaphor of sowing that he used was clear and vivid. Sowing – in this context – reflects the things in our lives, which we water and nourish. Since it is difficult to grow anything in the dark, we cannot grow spiritually if we never open our Bible to study His Word and let the Son come in. In short, we reap what we sow.

This series will focus on how sowing our time, talent and treasure are related to our spiritual growth. As a framework for our discussion, I would like to expound on the metaphor Paul uses in our key scripture.

Have you ever bought any seeds at the store to plant? What you will find is that the back of most seed packets contain the planting instructions for that type of seed. The instructions are parallel to the “spiritualized” list below.

1. Identify the location to sow
2. Understand the timing of when to sow
3. Prepare the area to be sown
4. Plant the seed (sow)
5. Care and nurture the area sown
6. Harvest and reap what has been sowed

God wants us to sow our seeds. He desires a free-will gift of our time, talent and treasure to honor Him. As we grow and learn to accept our heavenly appointments, God will point out the location He wants us to sow and the specific seed He wants sown.

Whether God wants us to sow our time by making ourselves available to reach out and touch someone’s life, or if He wants us to share a special talent, or simply just to give our money to support a special need He has pointed out. We should be prepared to sow the seed God has placed on our hearts at the location God has anointed and appointed.

The great pastor and preacher Charles Spurgeon during the mid 1800’s wrote that, “The church must not only keep this seed in the storehouse” He noted that the church should send the sowers out into the community to share the precious seed. If we keep it in the storehouse, we are consumers. We need to plant and sow because we are called to be producers.

One illustration of a producer occurred during Thanksgiving week of this year when a New York Police officer Larry DePrimo planted a seed. Now we do not know if he is a Christian, but he does support the point of offering your time, talent or treasure at the appointed location. For him, it was when he saw a homeless man with no shoes in the cold. He opened his heart and his wallet to buy the homeless man a pair of boots and socks. While the officer’s mission is to protect and serve, it did not call for him to sacrifice. Yet he did, he planted a seed that blossomed into widespread support from others.

Our lesson is that as a Christian, we should be aware that our role is to be producers and not just consumers. We are to plant the seed where God directs us or our Pastor points us. We should be sowing what God has given us on any day of the week that He anoints and appoints .