Day 2881 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Proverbs 11:18 NIV

That which is planted will most assuredly grow. And that fact begs an immediate question which points to an unavoidable outcome: Is what you're planting and allowing to grow in your heart, your mind, your life the harvest you wish to reap once it has grown?

You see, much of life is under-considered. We tend to simply float through this world as if we're free to make mistakes and take things lightly. We exists as ghosts who don't realize that they're making a mark, leaving an imprint, having an impact. We sadly assume all our choices to be rather miniscule and minute in the grand scheme of life, and even more so when seen through the lens of eternity.

But, the reality is that everything we do, everything we say, every choice that we make is a seed that is planted in our story which will grow into something up ahead.

What makes it hard to remember and easy to ignore is that we don't often see the consequences. You don't reap the harvest right after you've sown the crop. It takes time to grow, takes time to mature, may even need a bit of pruning to reach its full potential. And, truth be told, the initial yield may even be lackluster compared to what others are gathering. But what we need to understand is that we can’t always see the final result. And so all we can do is continue to ensure that we’re planting the right seeds and giving them the attention and priority needed to ensure they lead to the desired outcome.

But, how often do we actually put that much thought into everything we're doing? How many times do we actually stop to think through every single decision we make and the end result it could very well lead us to? How often do we just assume that it's all really not that big of a deal and fall back on this assumption that our errors can be resolved should they even occur at all?

I think this hits me so hard because I just recently turned 35. I look back and I literally see another person, another life, another road that seems altogether foreign and, in many ways, terrifying. I see a kid in the rearview mirror who had no idea what life was, nor what life would become. I see a gullibility that opened the door to so many mistakes that simply shouldn't have been made. I see a foolish assumption of sudden recompense that satisfied the effort I felt adequate at the time.

I look back on who I've been, what I've done, where I've gone, and maybe it's just because I don't mind being my own worst critic, but I see the danger in taking life so lightly that you think you can't even leave footprints in the sand.

Yesterday we discussed these little plastic castles that each of us have poured ourselves into constructing. This ongoing effort to build our lives into something in which we can gloat and boast and revel. Looking out for number one has truly become the epitome of the human condition. Perhaps it's because we live in a world that breeds selfishness through messages telling us to chase our dreams, live our best lives, and make a name for ourselves. Or maybe it's just because we live with ourselves 24/7 and so we have plenty of time to focus inwardly.

Whatever the cause, the truth is that we seem to have no problem planting seeds of selfishness that we hope will bring us a harvest of worldly glory, social acceptance, monetary wealth, and temporary treasures. And that expectation is fostered in the incredible ease of finding others who are in every way enjoying a harvest of success and satisfaction in their lives at this time in this place.

But is that truly all we wish for in life? Success agreed upon by peers? Wealth desired by those less fortunate? Comradery and companionship built on lies and concessions? A sense of worth confined to possessions and measured by accomplishments? A life that reads like a fairy tale with what we can only hope or assume will culminate in the expected happy ending? A moment spent basking in the light of our own ego that fades the moment we draw our final breath?

I understand that it's not fun to follow the roads in our minds to the destinations in which they end. It isn't enjoyable to take all this time to patiently plot a careful course to a desired destination. But, again, everything we do is planting a seed that will grow into something. And if we just cast our seeds into the unknown and hope for the best, we may very well find nothing but a dystopia of weeds where we'd hoped for a garden of peace.

Sadly I think much of humanity has bought this idea that all roads lead to the same destination. And if that were truly the case, then yeah, it wouldn't matter all that much which direction we chose to travel. If our life were guaranteed to lead us right up to the gates of Heaven, then our choices wouldn't carry with them the possibility of becoming lost and crossing the finish line of life into a horrid reality nothing close to the peace and joy we assumed would be there.

The thing about our faith that I don't really know that anyone enjoys, and what many probably use as a reason to deny God's truth, is that it reminds us that not all roads lead the same direction. It teaches us that rather than one final destination, there exists two possibilities. It speaks to the consequences of living life never considering the choices we make and the direction they point us. And, as much as we'd selfishly like to assume otherwise, peace and joy will not come for everyone.

Arguably the biggest problem we have is that we hear of this paradise. We hear of a place where streets are gold, people are free from pain and need, and peace just goes on forever. And we hear of the God who created such a perfect place and resides upon the throne found within. We hear that He is a God of love, mercy, kindness, compassion, healing, hope, and forgiveness. And when we hear of this loving God and His most idyllic garden and what He's done to make it all possible, we just assume that His love will simply ensure our arrival at that perfect promise.

But friends, we make choices. We pick paths. We live lives that are laden with decisions that we alone make, decisions that dictate our course, decisions that direct our souls on a trajectory that they will otherwise follow onward into forever. And yes, Jesus did come to bring us salvation, but His salvation hinges on our repentance. We have a loving God who does wish everyone to join Him in Heaven. But He gives us the freewill that can lead us elsewhere if we are not incredibly careful.

So, are the seeds you're planting leading to that crop you hope to reap? Are the choices you're making leading you down a road that leads to something you truly want to have, and not only momentarily, but to have for eternity? Are you living a life that's leading you to peace byway of Jesus Christ? Or are you casting your pearls before the swine that dine on the crumbs that fall from the table of a world completely unconcerned about what lie ahead?

We owe it to ourselves to consider what we're building, what we're planting, what our every choice is leading us toward. Not because it's easy or quick. Not because we don't have other things that we'd rather do. Not because we wish to consider the cost we've earned and consequences we deserve. But because we must understand that only we can answer for, pay for, and fully accept the price we've chosen to charge. It simply doesn't work any other way.

All of us have spent years building kingdoms. We've chased dreams. We've planned goals. We've planted seeds of hope and expectancy and assumption and aspiration. But if we never stop to consider what it is that we are actually doing, then we may not get what we truly hope to find. Because along this road into the unknown toward a place we've never been, one moment, one choice, one step is all it takes to veer off course in what proves to be an entirely different direction toward an entirely different direction.

Allowing ourselves to assume otherwise is dangerous. Allowing ourselves to judge our trajectory based only on the feedback we’re seeing or feeling or sensing at the moment is dangerous. Assuming we’re not making any mistakes simply because we don’t see the consequences right now is dangerous. Because wickedness earns deceptive wages. A life of sin brings a sense of purpose and pleasure that are well-capable of passing for a sense of accomplishment.

The road paved with selfish intentions will bring us gain almost instantly. And so, if we determine our course based only on what we see and feel and find at this moment, we’re very likely to assume we’re doing right because the results are exactly what we expect to find. That’s the deception found in the gain of wickedness. It satisfies our every desire. It fulfills our every craving. Living to please ourselves and build our kingdoms and earn our own identity will feel so fulfilling and so incredible that we may very well take our eyes off the prize ahead and settle for the prizes we can find and enjoy right now.

My point is that the level of responsibility found in life is such that we can’t fit it in our minds. We cannot possibly begin to imagine just how vital our every decision really is. Because most of them seem to mean nothing for the moment. Most of our mistakes don’t bring sudden calamity or immediate consequence. Should we err, we can usually find a work-around that makes it altogether insignificant. And when we get used to not feeling the bumps in the road, we’ll likely stop looking for a path that avoids them.

Planting seeds of wickedness will lead to a harvest that is in every way what we desire. It will please us in every way possible, and may even bring the jealousy that only adds to our sense of accomplishment and worth in this place. But, our eyes should be fixed as far into the future as possible. No, we can’t see nor comprehend the reality of eternity, but we know it’s there. And knowing it’s there means that we will find ourselves there someday.

And in that realization resides the understanding of our responsibility to plant seeds that sprout into a harvest later rather than sooner. We may be able to blaze a trail that leads to contentment and excitement and fulfillment in this world. But if we don’t keep an eye fixed on the horizon of life, we’ll likely forget that something comes after our stay here is over. And should we have spent the entirety of our lives planting here, we’ll have no roots in eternity.

Friends, one chance. Like it or not, that’s all we’ve got. One chance. One harvest. One hope. One path. And every decision we make determines where we go. Easy. Hard. Certain. Uncertain. Known. Foreign. Fair. Unfair. Simple. Conflated. Murky. Clear. Promised. Hoped for. Whatever you want to call this journey we’re on, the fact is that we are on it and we are responsible for the twists and turns we take along the way. We choose the seeds we plant, where we plant them, why we plant them.

Are you planting seeds that will lead to the reaping of a harvest of peace on the other side of life? Or are you looking for a quicker yield on this side of it?

Please don’t base your reward on the quickness in which it arrives. Base your reward on the value it holds. And friends, there is nothing more valuable than eternal peace with our Father in Heaven. Plant the seeds that pave the path that leads you along the narrow road to life. Because while many will find their reward here and now, once it’s spent, it’s gone for good. This is truly a matter of quality vs quantity. We may find many rewards in this life in this place. But the quality of Heaven’s promises far exceeds them all.

Just imagine reaching the end of this road only for your harvest to end and be left behind with nothing good or joyous left to glean in eternity. Stepping out of our reward when our lives end is obviously far sadder than stepping into it and looking forward to enjoying for the rest of forever. Plant those seeds in Heaven through faith. That’s where we want our crop to grow and our harvest to be found. And we should never willingly settle for so much less as defined by everything this world has to offer.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold