Mike’s Musings …
Where are You in the Work?
John 4: 31 – 38 relates an interesting dialogue spoken by Jesus to His disciples. Jesus had devoted some time to speak with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, while His disciples had gone to town for food. When they return, they beg Jesus to eat. He answered, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” They questioned if someone had brought Jesus something to eat, when He answered, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” Now notice the lesson: “Say not ye, ‘There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?’ Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”
I muse on no less than three critical observations: 1) WE DID NOT PREPARE OR SOW THE FIELDS; BUT THEY ARE WHITE UNTO HARVEST. Too many believe they are duty-bound to “create” or “develop” or “sow the seed” in areas where it hasn’t been accomplished. But notice Jesus said that work had already been done … IT WAS TIME TO HARVEST. 2) WAGES ARE PAID TO THOSE WHO GATHER THE HARVEST UNTO LIFE ETERNAL. Some seem interested only in temporal compensation for their labors in the Lord’s service. 3) BOTH HE THAT SOWS AND HE THAT REAPS REJOICE TOGETHER, THAT THE SAYING ONE SOWS AND ANOTHER REAPS IS TRUE. Therefore, there is no worker greater than another as BOTH is needed for the successful conclusion of the Lord’s work!
Thus, there is no “superiority” in the work – each of us has something we must do! Are we doing it? What seems abundantly apparent is the REAPERS far exceed the number of SOWERS. From verses 35 through 38, this is evident! Muse with me: Though thankful for the preachers/teachers, it is clearly noted the HARVESTERS who are so desperately needed … even from the time Jesus sent His disciples to “reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour?” Is it not the case we sing, “bringing in the sheaves” but think that is the SOWER’S job as well as the reaper’s?
Yes, there is much work to do for our Lord … and no one gets it done if expecting someone else to do it; or worse, think that there is nothing for YOU to do! Muse on the fact that our Lord commanded us all to go to the work! (Ephesians 2:10)