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"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7)
My husband is a farmer. There's a lot that goes into farming, but for illustration purposes, I will keep it simple for friends who, like me, grew up in the city. Before seed goes into the ground, the soil is prepared. It may need a deep rip or a light disc. Once the ground reaches a certain temperature and moisture, the seed that the farmer wants to grow is placed all across the field. The field is then watered regularly. In the beginning, it looks like he is watering dirt, but he has faith that under the surface the seeds are taking root. As the plant grows, it continues to need water so that it doesn't wither. In Colorado, we typically plant in April for a harvest in September, depending on the crop.
My husband planted corn this year. For every one kernel of seed placed in the earth, hundreds of kernels can grow on the stalk from that single seed. We only plant the variety of corn we want to grow. We cannot plant one kind of seed and expect a different kind of plant to grow. If nothing is planted in the field, a few volunteer corn stalks may grow from last year, but the field would be taken over by weeds.
The truth is like that kernel of seed. Many times throughout Scripture, farming is used as a concrete illustration for abstract realities, as most people would have been familiar with farming. Paul said he planted and another man watered. (1 Corinthians 3) Jesus said you know a person by their fruit, or the result of what they are doing. (Matthew 7) Scripture says, what you want to reap is what you need to sew. (Galatians 6)
Communications specialists say that it takes at least seven times of repeating the same information for it to influence someone's behavior. This is true in advertising as well as education. Every time truth is spoken, a seed is being planted or watered in the field of someone's mind. Likewise, every time a lie or rumor is repeated, it is like a weed being spread that can choke out the truth.
The vote in November can be compared to a harvest. Whatever has been planted in the minds of people and allowed to grow is what we will reap when the vote comes around. If we wait until a month before the vote to take a poll and hope there's enough crop for the results we want, we will be sorely disappointed. We must intentionally work the soil, plant the seeds, and continually water the field long before the vote is harvested.
When it comes to the humanity of preborn children and the violence of abortion, we've neglected to speak the truth for decades in Colorado. We've failed to plant the truth, and in doing so, we have left our state to the weeds of deception and ignorance that have taken over the minds of Coloradans.
Yet I have hope. I've been encouraged that God - who orchestrates movements and awakenings in answer to our prayers - has been seen working over these past few years preparing the field of Colorado through speakers like Seth Gruber, Eric Metaxas, Bill Federer, Rusty Thomas, Andrew Wommack, Colorado Representative Scott Bottoms, pastors serving on our leadership team, our Task Force members, and many others across the state. God is also calling volunteers from across the state to work in His field planting and watering seeds of truth.
God instructs us to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4) We are to say what is actually truth so that it can take root in our culture. Not half-truths. Not almost true. Not man's perceptions or opinions or speculations or clever manipulation. But the actual truth of what we want to grow and eventually harvest.
The word of God, as written in the black and white of Scripture is the ultimate standard of all truth. (2 Timothy 3) Jesus is truth. (John 14:6) The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. (John 16:13) If anyone - even a pastor or Christian leader - contradicts what The Holy Bible says, you can choose to stand on the solid rock of obedience to God's infallible written word. (Romans 3:4, Matthew 7, Romans 15:4)
As God has been preparing hearts to receive the truth, He is calling on each of us to plant and water the seeds of truth. He instructs us to speak the truth in love, to say what it is we actually believe that needs to take root and grow in our culture. Not half-truths. Not manipulation. But the actual truth that will result in a good harvest.
Through volunteering with the Life Initiative in Colorado, we've been planting those seeds - through those we talked with while gathering signatures, through the website and ongoing emails and blogs, and now through the Church Toolkit.
"5 Minute Sundays" gives pastors, teachers, and congregations all that you need to plant good seeds of truth in just five minutes with five (5) touchpoints.
"5 Minute Sundays" gives a video, handout, and an opportunity to pray all within five minutes of any service or gathering. Here are the topics:
The Humanity of preborn children
The reality of abortion
The solutions to abortion
Our Scriptural authority
Our Civic duty as Christians
Will you help plant seeds of truth?
In Jesus' parable, not all seeds of truth will fall on receptive ground. But the farmer planted them anyway. He didn't change the seed he was planting. And he didn't give up planting. (Mark 4)
The weeds that have gotten into our fields of misinformation, half-truths, rumors, doubt, and ignorance need to be pulled up and replaced with the good seed that we want to see grow of truth, faith, hope, love, and life!
Like that one kernel in the field that grows into a whole plant filled with seeds, every time the truth is spoken and planted in love, it can multiply in the lives of people as each person shares with another person, and another person. A pastor may be able to share with an entire congregation. A teacher may share with their class. A community leader may share with their members. Or an individual can share within a Bible study or among family and friends or online.
The harvest of the vote is less than three months away. What kind of farmer will you be?
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Here's a link to our Church Toolkit that anyone can use: https://www.gotaheart.org/toolkit
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