This chapter contains the famous account of Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, and an instance of Jesus healing an official’s son (without even being near him).
“…he said to [the disciples], ‘…My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work… lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.’ ” (v32, 34-37 abr)
Jesus reminds us that we are a small part of God’s kingdom-building. God and the Holy Spirit prepare people for salvation (“sow” and cultivate to maturity) and we, through His guidance and equipping, share Jesus’ gospel so that they may choose to be saved (“reap”). God does the hardest part (planting / cultivating the seeds), and then invites us to help with the harvest. When each soul is saved, both God and the workers can rejoice, knowing that there has been eternal fruit produced.
This is fantastic news for all of us who struggle with worry / anxiety – God does the hard work. All we have to do is obediently follow His guidance – that’s it. He takes all of the guess work and pressure off of us. Participating in kingdom-building should be joyous and a ‘light burden’, not a stressful life-sucking venture that drags us into the grave. If we’re feeling burned out from ministry, we may be relying on ourselves too much and on God too little (I have experienced this burnout more than once).
Father God, our Magnificent Lord and Holy King, You alone are worthy of worship and praise. Thank you for equipping and leading us through Your Spirit. Thank you for producing good fruit in our lives, so we may help nurture and harvest the spiritual fruit in our neighbors’ lives. May we do this in the name of Jesus our Savior, through whom a restored relationship with You is made possible. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training