Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Summary: As Christians, we live in a world that stands opposed to God’s will. It is our job to spread God’s light by “doing good.”
As I read Paul’s words in this passage, I am deeply touched. Perhaps it is God’s Spirit in me that resonates with what Paul has written here.
“Let us not become weary in doing good …”
He includes himself in this statement. By his own account, Paul has been serving the Lord for many years. He has suffered much for the work of sharing the Gospel as recounted in his letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:16-33). I get “weary” just reading about his work.
As we finish the last few verses of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, I get the impression that he is tired. Even Paul, who was hand-picked by Jesus for his ministry, has grown older. Over the years of service to God “doing good,” he has suffered much.
My sense is that he is not just encouraging us but himself as well.
“Let us not become weary …”
It is fair to ask the question, “Why should doing good make someone weary?” The answer is that in a good world, it wouldn’t be tiresome to do God’s will. But this world is not good. It has been corrupted by evil. Those who do not yet believe, or acknowledge Jesus as Lord, oppose the truth about Jesus.
When someone who serves their own flesh is confronted by the truth about God, they must choose whom they will serve. If they choose the flesh, then God becomes the enemy, and so do his representatives on earth. What follows is nothing short of war.
And how do we respond to the attacks from those who serve the flesh?
Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).
Slap!
Don’t get angry (that’s murder! — Matthew 5:22). Offer the other cheek as well.
Slap!
The flesh says, “Ouch!” The Spirit in us says that our flesh is not important. What is important is showing Christ’s love for each other. As Jesus suffered on the cross, so we are tasked with suffering for him.
“Why?” you ask.
“[F]or at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
The harvest we reap is our fellow mankind. The harvest is another soul spending eternity in God’s kingdom instead of being consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
Ultimately, the reason for doing good has nothing to do with earning “points” with God. Instead, it is sharing God’s love with the world and bringing his Light into dark places. When we do that, we “sow to please the Spirit.”
Application: Put our selves aside and serve the Lord.
Food for Thought: What do you think Paul means by the phrase, “at the proper time?”
What do you think Paul means by the phrase, “at the proper time?”
Our Bible often refers to the universality of God’s knowledge, Psalm 147:5, John 21:17, Hebrews 4:12-13, 1John 3:20.
Acts 2:23, This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
Acts 3:18, But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
And in due season – At the day of judgment. Then all shall receive the full reward of all self-denials and charities.
Thank you, Ron!
You referenced Hebrews 4:13 —
“Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
This points us to the day of judgment as you note. I suppose a related question is “What are we harvesting?” The answer is people for God’s Kingdom (See Matthew 13:24-30).
Peter wrote of the same “proper” time.
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.
We don’t really know when the “proper” time is, and I think both Paul and Peter are writing about God’s omniscience and their faith in God’s ability to know what they need and when they need it.
Just in my mind, and based on my experience, I can think of three times when it may be the “proper” time to receive a reward:
When the work is completed.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
When a portion is given as the work progresses, to carry the worker along.
Ephesians 1:11-14 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
When a portion is given as the work progresses, to enable to worker to do greater work.
Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Chris,
As I read your thoughts about “carrying the worker along” I thought of the story in Luke 6:1-5 about Jesus’ disciples eating grain on the Sabbath. They ate as they were walking along.
Your words also made me think about our need for encouragement as we work the fields for our Lord.
Thank you!
Good thoughts R2T2 and CH. I like what both of you shared.
The proper time could be seen from an eternal perspective, which would then mean the harvest of souls for an eternity with Heaven in view.
The proper time could be seen from the perspective of day to day life and the harvest coming in season as a response to our sowing. In which case, now is the time of harvest. Just like a farmer plants crops and harvests them at the proper time, we plant the seed and God causes the growth and the fruit is born at the proper time according to God’s plan.
John 4: 34 – 38: “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – 8: There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Rich,
Thank you! I really like the way you broke this down into two categories, the eternal and the temporal. I also like that you included the passage from Ecclesiastes. Well done!