a harvest of righteousness

Dog and I enjoying an early morning stroll

'For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,

there will be disorder and every vile practice.

But the wisdom from above 

is first pure,

then peacable,

gentle,

open to reason,

full of good mercy and good fruit,

impartial and sincere. 

And a 

harvest of righteousness 

is sown in peace

by those who make peace.'

James 3:16-18

I look out the window as the large tires beat the pavement in front of my home. The noise is almost deafening. The tractors, combines and semi-trucks heavy with harvest roll by frequently as the farmers are setting about their work harvesting the crops they have planted and cultivated all season. 

Having many friends that are farm wives, I am astounded by the amount of faith they have and they trust the Lord completely as they sow their seeds and pray for a healthy crop. 

As I think about my life, from it's cold beginning that Christmas morning back in '81 to the final minutes sometime in my future, I pray that my life will be frutiful. Truthfully, I think every living person has a similar desire, whether saved by grace or feverishly toiling in the strength of their own humanity. Even those locked behind bars that are considered violent menaces to society, deep down wished things had been different, that their lives would have been marked by peace and fruitfulness rather than pain and violence. I say this because we have all been created in the image of God--who is in Himself the very essence of all that is pure, right, peaceful, sincere, impartial, merciful, gentle and open to reason. The only thing separating me from all that God is and all that the Enemy wants me to be is what I do with the message of Jesus Christ and the grace the He died to freely offer. 

That difference will determine everything in the end. 

It will not matter that I didn't climb the corporate ladder or drive a flashy car with all the extras. 

It will not matter if I have a Ph.D or a GED. 

We will all have an end and we will all meet our Maker face to face.

We will all have a harvest to show from this time on earth, 

but whether or not it will be a harvest of peace and righteousness 

or a harvest of selfish ambition and evil practice

is entirely up to us. 

I pray that you will have the heart to seek God's face

and that together we will sow the seeds of life in righteousness

as we wait patiently for God to cultivate and grow a crop that is worthy to present to our King. 

Blessings to you. 

Tiffany