Passage Read: John 3-4
Meditation Verse: 4:38
Thought
There are those who sow and those who reap. Those who sow do not often see the fruit of their labor, but they speak for God and live godly lives. They persist and endure. They do the hard work. Who did the work in these Samaritans lives? Surely it was not the priests of Israel, who themselves were not faithful to God and His Word. Yet if not for them, they would know nothing about Jacob's well and something about Jacob's God. Someone told them about the Messiah who would come and tell them everything. This woman who lived among people who didn't know God's intention for marriage knew that Messiah would come and explain everything to them. Sowers lay a foundation of truth that reapers can build on. Sowers may teach all the right things, but because the people can't understand, they end up with a confused or distorted recollection. Sowers may not get everything right, but still reapers can build on what they leave behind. Ultimately, sower and reaper share the same message. The only thing that sets them apart is the response of the people.
Application
So the one who reaps owes a debt of gratitude to those who came before, and the one who sows can rejoice with the reaper who brings in the harvest of their initial work. They both share in the fruit of each other's labor, but Jesus characterizes the sower as having done the hard part. Reaping is the glorious side of the work, and the easier, so I'd rather be a reaper. But by going to those who know little or nothing about Jesus, I may spend more time sowing than reaping. I need to accept that so as not to be discouraged if I see no fruit.