Seed Sowers and Harvesters

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives growth. Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each one receives his own reward according to his own labour. For we are God's coworkers. You are God's field and God's building. According to God's grace given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Chrsit. If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one's work will become obvious, for will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work. If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved, yet it will be an escape through fire. 1 Cor 3:7-15

A couple of things stand out to me: each of us has a task, either to plant or build.

The Spirit of God waters our work.

There comes a time of testing when what we have done go through the fire. 

I used to think that this was when I stood before the Lord but I know think it happens as I go along. Sometimes the fire comes at regular intervals, sometimes after a long period of time, but it does come. I have known times when the fire came and I escaped with only my salvation, I was out on a limb, doing my own thing thinking it was God. I have also know times where after the fire what I had built stood. Praise God!

I used to beat myself up for lack of souls but now know hat I do a lot of planting and sowing of seeds for someone else to harvest. I am sure that there are harvesters out there who beat themselves up for lack of planting. Each of us has a task. Amen!

It is important that we realise that this life is not about us, we have a task to do. When we are aware then we intentionally choose good material: gold, silver, precious stones instead of wood, hay and stubble. If we fail to do this we will always be experiencing the singe and smell of smoke. Amen!