Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, Samara.

Every morning I deliver tea to Mama Becki in bed. It’s almost always a big cup in which I deposit various combinations of two tea bags. This morning I blended a bag of Lipton with a bag of Hibiscus. I noticed on the Hibiscus tag a little proverb that fits with our farming ideas below. It goes like this: “THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FLOWER AND A WEED IS A JUDGMENT.” Hmm. Think about it. Although you’re just 13—barely into the teenage corridor—if you can pursue and develop good judgment, you will be able to avoid the risk of becoming a wasted valuable like the beautiful person described in verse 22. What a sad description that is!

I was able to get the barn doors made yesterday, but didn’t get them hung. Next time.

The rain is pounding on the roof. But there’s something nice about that. I’m sure it’s translated as snow up on the mountain—where I’m anxious to try out my new fat skis. (Sure enough—I just checked conditions at Timberline on Mt. Hood—snowing like crazy, 23 degrees, with a snow depth at the lodge of nearly 8 feet.) I was hoping to go out and do a little jog after sending this. But now I’m not so sure.

Have a great day. May you be blessed.

Love, Tua.

CAUSE AND EFFECT. If your life is a cause, what is the effect? If your life is an effect, what is the cause? I think that examining your life from both angles is an exercise in wisdom. Indeed, everyone is both—an effect (Our very existence is a result of someone else’s cause) and a cause (We automatically influence people around us—either for good or not so good.)

Obviously, farming is an exercise in cause and effect. What the farmer plants (cause) is what the farmer grows (effect). It’s a law of life. Most people do not think in these terms, but you are a farmer too. You are either a wise one—or a foolish one. The world abounds with foolish farmers—those who attempt to think they can break the laws of cause and effect and get away with it—those who are deceived into thinking they can plant bad seed and still grow good fruit. Another farming fact is that to become a wise farmer is definitely no accident—it calls for decision, diligence, and patience.

The Apostle Paul states the case this way: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. (His laws cannot be violated without consequence.) A man reaps (effect) what he sows (cause). The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit (the plans and purposes of our Maker), from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good (planting good seed), for at the proper time we will reap a harvest (good harvest) if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7-10).

Let’s review the focus verse above: “The fruit (effect) of the righteous (cause) is a tree of life (very good effect as opposed to a bad one).” This tree of life grows and branches out to yield the influence of righteousness beyond itself—a positive chain reaction that actually plays out to rescue others (“wins souls”) from the FFA—the worldwide union of the Foolish Farmers Association. That is one of the main reasons why we’re here—why God calls us out of the darkness of the world into the light of relationship with Him. (Check out 1 Peter 2:9.)