Scripture:
Hosea 8:7 “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.”
Galatians 6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Philippians 2:15,16 “so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world as you hold forth the word of life”
Reflection:
Have you heard the admonition, “Just follow your heart” – or maybe the updated version – “Just do what you feel in your heart is right for you – you’ll be criticized anyway.”
Really? Are contemporary admonitions just “off the cuff statements” or do they reflect the compromising wisdom of our day? If you take a moment to reflect on what is being said, doesn’t following our own hearts only lead us into a self-focused life?
The prophet Hosea denounced Israel some 2700 years ago as following the same kind of wisdom. He said “those that sow the wind, will reap the whirlwind.” If they continue to follow the cravings of their hearts, these would reap a tornado of consequences. Their self oriented pursuit would eventually sweep them and their families into destruction. Those that follow the self-oriented cravings, will sow the seeds of their own downfall. The Apostle Paul said the the Galatians, “a man reaps what he sows.”
There are a myriad of cultural statements on social media today that serve up to the same kind of world view. Statements like: “If you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reflect or reform ”-or- “You never know the truth, you only know “a” truth.”
Commentaries like these produce the same effects; it erodes our confidence and faith. They dilute the truth of God’s word and if we don’t resist these notions, they can paralyze the people of God who are determined to live by faith in the Son of God, He who loved us, and gave himself for us.
We have the promise that God’s word is a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path. We can be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation. The promise is that we will shine as lights in the world and we can hold out the word of life to those that are floundering.
Resisting the cultural attempts to erode the truth of God’s word and a life led by the Holy Spirit, we were called to stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around our waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, we are to take up the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Lastly, we take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
We are not subject to this world’s subjective reasoning. Rather, as children of God he has bequeathed to us his very word of truth. Therefore all admonitions must line up with what he has already made known. Let’s choose to hide this word in our hearts, put on the armor of God and be ready to stand.
Amen!
David
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