INSPIRATION FOR YOU


Are you a SOWER, a REAPER, or BOTH? Part 2

-By Heather-Dawn Small

Last month we began this two part series on the topic of evangelism: the challenges we face and the reason why so many of us don't get involved in evangelism. Are we all called to preach and give Bible studies? Are there other ways to evangelize our communities? Is there something that we all can do? God calls all of His followers to evangelize their world (Matt 18:19, 20), to tell others of the good news about Jesus.

We ended the last article with the question, "What can I do?" Let's begin Part 2 by asking you, what do you love to do? What is there in your life that you are passionate about? Something that gives you joy. God will use whatever gift or talent He has given you so you can tell the world about Jesus.

Remember the text we used from John 4:37. Well, let's look at verses 35-38: "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.'

I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

Amazing! God calls some to reap, some to sow, and some to reap and sow. What has God called you to do? The part I want to deal with is the sowing. We can sow seeds in many different ways. For the cashier in the supermarket, a word of thanks is a seed planted. For the neighbor who is sick, a loaf of bread or home cooked meal is a seed of love. For the woman in the half-way house who feels that life is hopeless and there is no God, a visit or a care package is a seed of love planted in her hurting heart. For the young teenager who is pregnant and has been ostracized by family and friends, a baby shower planned just for her is a seed of love.

What do you love to do? Whatever it is-cooking, sewing, cardmaking, talking, reading, painting, decorating, hairdressing-God will use what you love to do to plant seeds of His love in someone's life.

There are many ways we can sow seeds of love; we can bake or cook a meal, sew a dress, paint a picture, make a phone call, visit a lonely soul, or give a card.

So my sisters, I challenge you to live life as a seed planter. To deliberately and intentionally plant seeds of God's love in someone's life. You plant and God will send a reaper. It may even be you.

 

 


 

Christmas Gift

Bless someone this Christmas with Sanctuary, the General Conference Women's Ministries new devotional book for 2010 edited by Ardis Stenbakken. All proceeds from the book go to fund women's scholarships around the world. To order, contact the Adventist Book Center at www.adventistbookcenter.com.

Writers Needed

Stenbakken is already soliciting contributions for the 2012 devotional book (the 2011 book is already in the final editing process). For guidelines on how you may contribute, go to http://women.adventist.org and click on "Resources."

"In celebrations of the greatest JOY, the deepest PEACE and the richest LOVE the heart can ever know. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure." Psalms 16:9

May the GIFT of JESUS, bless your CHRISTMAS.