Pick Your Crop!

When was the last time you planted flowers and got a herd of cattle instead? Okay, perhaps that might be a little far-fetched. Try this one: Have you ever planted herbs and what actually grew were peanuts?

 I know, you are thinking that I've lost my mind. But I assure you my questions are based on my own mistakes and some pretty astute observations. Have you ever been crabby and wondered why people avoided you? Ever slacked off at work and then wonder why the boss was none too happy? Ever not listen and then wonder why you don't understand the instructions?

 We do this type of thinking all the time. We gossip and wonder why no one trusts us. We are false friends and wonder why we end up getting stabbed in the back. Some will call it "karma" because, after all, Karma is a.....well not very nice. We can fool other people for a time, but God isn't fooled. 

 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, "God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" 

 If you want to reap a different future, change the crops you are sowing now!

 

Pay careful attention to your own work, 

for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, 

and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.  

For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

~Galatians 6:4-5

"It doesn't matter what I do, no one notices anyway."  I have heard this many times (and have said it too).  We tend to get discouraged when we thing no one notices that we are doing a good job.  We tend to get negative when we aren't the one getting the award even though we believe we did a much better job than the award winner.  As a result, what do we do?  We start slacking off and not trying nearly as hard.  Then we complain because no one noticed when we did a good job, but they noticed when we stopped working so hard.

Did you notice it?  Did you see it?  People noticed when we stopped working so hard...which means they DID notice when we actually were working hard.  How else would they know we had slacked off?

Think about this, when your car is rolling on down that highway (I am channeling my inner Bachman Turner Overdrive), we don't pay much attention because everything is working to its potential.  We appreciate it, we do notice that everything is working as it should, and we are grateful.  But we don't REALLY pay attention until we hear that odd noise or feel that funny shimmy in the wheel.

But consider this:  If you only do your best when you think someone is looking or you think it will get you a promotion or you think it will get you an award, then you have quite a big ego and should probably look for a new line of work (such as selling larger hats to accommodate the swollen egos).

The Apostle Paul is reminding us that we should do pay careful attention and to the best we can regardless if we get "noticed" or not.  Because here's the kicker, God ALWAYS notices, and He holds us accountable and will reward us accordingly in time!