Earlier this week I had a low moment. I can't remember exactly what the catalyst was. I do remember that I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense that investing in the lives of people seemed to cost a whole lot more than it returned. And I couldn't deny that little question niggling in the back of my mind: Is it really worth it?
In my more rational moments I realize that evaluating the returns lies totally outside of my domain. But once in a while, I can't evade the questions, "Why in the world is this so important to me? Why do I keep doing it? What would happen if I just stopped caring?"
The moment passed and I got on with life and doing the things I know really matter - building up people in the kingdom and helping glorify Jesus here on earth. I would have forgotten the incident completely except for something that happened today.
Out of the blue, an email came from someone I didn't have a close relationship with but with whom I had shared time in the Word in a fellowship setting. It has been over two years since we had seen each other and have had no contact at all since then. She shared simply and in just a few sentences that God had used our time in the Word to ignite in her a love for Him and the desire to pursue Him. And she's been doing that ever since.
As her words touched my heart a verse came to mind. The Preacher, in Ecclesiates 11:6, says this: Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
The farming analogy is used in Scripture for all kinds of labor. To me this spoke of the labor of sowing the Word in people's lives (see Mark 4:14 - not the shortest verse in the Bible but a close runner-up). As I thought about the verse I thought especially about the "do not be idle in the evening" part. This is certainly the "evening" part of my life and the words encouraged me to keep on sowing and not get weary. We do not know when the sowing will succeed. I had no idea that the seed was growing and bearing fruit in this dear sister's heart. The Lord, for purposes of His own, decided to encourage my faith by letting me see a tiny glimpse. For that I am thankful and by that, I am humbled.
