You Reap What You Sow (2 Nephi 13)

by | Aug 31, 2016 | Scripture Study | 1 comment

thumb_girl_harvest.jpg

I once preached a sermon in which I said that I went to a seed store and bought seeds to plant orange trees. The package said the seeds were for orange trees, and the salesperson confirmed that these seeds would grow nice orange trees. I told the congregation that I was so proud of the oranges that I grew that I brought one to show them. I then reached into my briefcase and held up a banana! As everyone looked at me shaking their heads (or SMH as they say on social media today) I went on to explain that if you plant seeds for a banana tree, that’s what you will get regardless of what anyone else says and how convincing they may sound.

In other words – You Reap What You Sow.

This same thought is expressed to Israel in 2 Nephi 13:10-11, “Say unto the righteous that it is well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them!”

The actual saying “you reap what you sow” comes from Galatians 6:7-9:

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Sometimes, people confuse the above, thinking that it means if you do good things in life, good things will happen to you. Although this does happen often — God does bless your life when you live for Him — there are many occasions when bad things happen to good people. There are also many people who live unrighteous lives and seem to have everything going well for them.

In order to minimize discouragement, look closely at the verses above (especially the Galatians verses) and you will see that the true reaping of what you have sown occurs in the life to come. If you are suffering setbacks or tragedy in your life, don’t assume it is a punishment for doing something wrong. It could be that there is a reason for what you are going through, or perhaps you may not understand until the next life.

Regardless of our circumstances in life, we need to follow the advice in the verse above and “not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Keep doing what is right in the sight of God (sowing good seeds). Don’t stop because things may not be going as you would like in this life (faint not) and you will eventually reap what you have sown. God sees all and He will reward you in His time.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.

Author

  • Brother Jerry Valenti

    Brother Jerry lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with wife Sister Pat and daughter Maria.

1 Comment

  1. Teri-Lyn Tunno

    Another awesome blog Bro. Jerry!! Sometimes when you are going through something it is hard to remember that scripture so this is such a good reminder. Just curious, so how was your banana? 🙂

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Further Reading

Second to God

“Do you really love me?” my father would ask. With a smile, my mother would nod.  I felt warm inside when mother replied, “Don’t you know, you come second to God”* If you had a conversation similar to the above with your spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, best...

Read More

The Fear of God

As Jesus continues to prepare His Apostles to go on their mission of spreading the gospel, He addresses any fear they may have that people they come in contact with may seek to do them bodily harm, perhaps even kill them. He tells them: “Fear not them which kill...

Read More

Never Miss a New Article

Subscribe to Our Email List
Sign up and get every new blog post sent straight to your inbox so you always have the day’s devotional at your fingertips.

We never share your email address with anyone for any reason, and we use it only to send you Gospel Blog emails. Just articles, not ads!

Your Story for God’s Glory

Share Your Testimony on Miracle Monday

We devote Miracle Monday to sharing miracle stories. From finding a lost wedding ring to healing cancer on the spot, Jesus Christ has done it all, big and small.

And we want to hear about what He’s done for you.

The Gospel Blog Is Open for Submissions

We encourage devotional-style or scripture-based articles in the ballpark of 500 words. We are open to any topic that glorifies God and unites the Church.