harvesting- the only thing a farmer does?

Think about all the things that must happen before
there can be a good harvest of crops.

• First, someone has to go and prepare the land. This is backbreaking work that involves felling trees, pulling massive stumps out of the ground, extracting rocks and boulders from the field, and moving them aside. But there's no harvest yet.
• Next the soil has to be broken up. The earth needs to be plowed, fertilizer churned in with the soil, and orderly rows tilled to prepare for the seed.
• Then the seeds must be carefully planted and covered. But still no harvest. Perhaps a fence needs to be built to protect the plants from animals that might devour them.
• And always, the seedlings must be carefully watered, nurtured, and fed over the long growing season.

There are sometimes setbacks--bad weather, blights, floods, and insects-- that can jeopardize the harvest. But if all the hard work is done faithfully and with perseverance, and if God provides good seed and favorable weather, finally a glorious harvest is the result.*1

- Excerpt from The Hole in Our Gospel

As I took another round trying to get through this spiritual book, the above stood out to me. It probably has nothing at all to do with the fact that Shawn is away harvesting all summer... ok it probably does ;) But the author surprisingly spoke to me. It's easy to think we should see results right away. For example, one church service should have a great enough impact on somebody to bring them to their knees asking for Christ to come into their heart. In reality, as the Barna group proves, this only happens for about 6% of adults.*2

I have never been the kind of person who could sit down with someone and easily convince them via the Romans road. As a "retired" camp counselor, this technique was expected of us. I am more the kind of person that works on the first stages of the harvest. I am not afraid to go to unprepared lands and start the back breaking work. This usually means jumping into something new and building relationships. Taking the time to get to know someone, listening to their story, hearing their struggles and triumps with the hope that in time they will eventually see the fruits of God and seek Him.

I think it is easy to assume being a devoted Christian is defending and proclaiming our faith daily, and just as easy to assume the less devoted Christian is one just "living out" their faith and not necessarily being vocal. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to say about evangelism, and there's a lot to say about complacent Christians. But reading this passage, I am reminded that alongside evangelists, you need people actively preparing for a crop. I'd say my most natural ability is the slow routine of working to create a harvest, not harvesting. Who knows, this very well could change in the future. But for now, find me in the cultivating, planting, and growing seasons. ;) Blessings~


*1 The Hole in Our Gospel, p.19
*2 UnChristian:What a New Generation Really thinks about Christianity ...and Why it Matters p.72