SOWING AND REAPING
I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.--John 4:38
All parts of God's vineyard are to be worked. There is need of wise men and wise women, who will labor unitedly to accomplish the work committed to them.
God will use them as His instruments in the conversion of souls. They will reap the harvest of the seed sown by the great Teacher. Let those who go forth into the great harvest field, some to sow and some to reap, ever remember that they are not to take to themselves the glory of the result of their work. God's appointed agencies have been at work before them, preparing the way for the sowing of the seed and the reaping of the harvest....
Those who sow the seed, who present before large and small gatherings the testing truths for this time, at the cost of much labor, may not always gather the harvest. After they have done their work and rest from their labors, other men of God's appointment may go over the ground, and under their labors many souls may see the truth. Adversity, sorrow, loss of property, changes of God's providence, recall to their minds with vivid distinctness the words spoken by the faithful servants of God many years before. Thus the way is prepared for the finishing of the work of the sower, for the reaping of the harvest. There is much rejoicing as the precious fruit is gathered.
Let every laborer do his very best to improve his talents that he may be a successful sower as well as a successful reaper of the harvest which other men of God's appointment have sown. (Letter 20, January 28, 1901)
REFLECTION: Jesus said to the disciples, "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors."...The disciples were not to regard this as the result of their own efforts. They were entering into other men's labors. Ever since the fall of Adam Christ had been committing the seed of the word to His chosen servants, to be sown in human hearts. And an unseen agency, even an omnipotent power, had worked silently but effectively to produce the harvest. (The Desire of Ages, 192)
I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.--John 4:38
All parts of God's vineyard are to be worked. There is need of wise men and wise women, who will labor unitedly to accomplish the work committed to them.
God will use them as His instruments in the conversion of souls. They will reap the harvest of the seed sown by the great Teacher. Let those who go forth into the great harvest field, some to sow and some to reap, ever remember that they are not to take to themselves the glory of the result of their work. God's appointed agencies have been at work before them, preparing the way for the sowing of the seed and the reaping of the harvest....
Those who sow the seed, who present before large and small gatherings the testing truths for this time, at the cost of much labor, may not always gather the harvest. After they have done their work and rest from their labors, other men of God's appointment may go over the ground, and under their labors many souls may see the truth. Adversity, sorrow, loss of property, changes of God's providence, recall to their minds with vivid distinctness the words spoken by the faithful servants of God many years before. Thus the way is prepared for the finishing of the work of the sower, for the reaping of the harvest. There is much rejoicing as the precious fruit is gathered.
Let every laborer do his very best to improve his talents that he may be a successful sower as well as a successful reaper of the harvest which other men of God's appointment have sown. (Letter 20, January 28, 1901)
REFLECTION: Jesus said to the disciples, "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors."...The disciples were not to regard this as the result of their own efforts. They were entering into other men's labors. Ever since the fall of Adam Christ had been committing the seed of the word to His chosen servants, to be sown in human hearts. And an unseen agency, even an omnipotent power, had worked silently but effectively to produce the harvest. (The Desire of Ages, 192)
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