Plant Carrots, Harvest Brussel Sprouts?

Galatians 6: 1-10

⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  (Galatians 6:7-10) 

In the Broadway play, The Fantastics, popular in the 60s and 70s, there is a line in a song sung by two farmers: “Plant a carrot, get a carrot – not a Brussel sprout. That’s why I like vegetables, ‘cause you know what they’re about.” You can’t plant carrots and hope you will have a harvest of Brussel sprouts.

These words are parallel with today’s reading, “A man reaps what he sows.” 

            Sowing to the sinful nature, or the flesh, brings a harvest of destruction.

            Sowing to the Spirit reaps eternal life.

Just as we can’t reap one kind of vegetable from a different one, neither can we reap eternal life by following our sinful nature.

Let’s be about the business of sowing good to all leading to an eternal harvest.