Profitable Fruit

Jesus walked the Earth as a man in the midst of an agricultural economy. As a good teacher, he taught as he walked and frequently used agricultural examples for object lessons.

Consider a few references:

• the parable of the sower

• a mustard seed of faith

• the lesson of the fig tree

• consider the lilies of the field

• the workers in the vineyard

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul warned: “for the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (6:8)

The principle of sowing and reaping is a key biblical principle which draws from an underlying truth of agronomy.

The Interpreter’s Bible refers to this section of Scripture as Paul’s call for Christians to engage in “the agriculture of the Spirit.”

The law of the harvest is relevant to our spiritual development and describes our destiny.

“Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7-8).

In our modern economy, we could “translate ” reaping and sowing into debits and credits. For every debit, there must be a credit. The books must balance.

Sowing and reaping occur in seasons. Accounts are balanced after the harvest. Accounting operates in periods or quarters and books are closed and audited annually.

Fruit is judged. Reports are reviewed. We learn from every harvest.

Leaders plant again, fully resolved to nurture a better harvest.

Leaders debit their account for missed projections, but quickly credit their journal with experience.

Spiritual agriculture or spiritual accounting is sprinkled with grace and thrives through repentance.

Through dirt or numbers, spiritual-fact-based decision making is of the Lord.