The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 6:7-10, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

I remember it as clearly as I know my own name. We were kids in a schoolroom engaging in some shenanigans while the teacher was out of the room. The rumpus was over and one of the boys said, “There, she will never know.” Yet, while he boasted, the teacher looked quietly on from just outside the doorway. In fact, she had been looking on for some time. I will leave the results to your imagination.

Paul warned us in the verses above not to deceive ourselves. Self-deception comes from self-arrogance. We think we’re smarter, more intelligent, than everyone else –sometimes, even than God. Yet, Paul says that “God is not mocked.” The word mock means “to laugh at, to turn up your nose.” No, God will not allow that! He will have the last laugh. The wrong we do will inevitably come back to haunt us. God will have the last laugh, as it were. Just as in nature, what we sow is what we reap.

Sometimes we seriously engage in things that are good, but nothing good seems to come from what we do. Just don’t lose heart, the Word tells us. Sometimes it takes longer than we think it should to develop good things and have them to return to us. A child plants the seed for a flower, and goes day after day looking for it to bloom. Eventually, it does! Then and there the uncertainty of the child vanishes. So it is with us.

Still, the opportunity for our doing good will not always be there. We must have faith. We must trust the LORD and His Word! Surely, His promises are greater than our expectations. “Keep on keeping on” is the theme. Pray for your pastor and his family. Pray for those you know are
sick or hurting. Pray for yourself, that you may be what the LORD desires of you. The LORD’s promise is certain: “…in due time – in His time — we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom