One of the miracles of spiritual life is that this process of learning truth and doing it can happen almost spontaneously. Unlike a physical garden in which we must first plant a seed and then wait for the harvest, the spiritual
process of planting and harvesting is not bound by time and space. It can be immediate. Therefore, Jesus says, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (John 4:35).
The rewards for the “spiritual reaper” are rich and abundant. As Jesus puts it, “He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not
labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors” (John 4:36-37). At a deeper level, this refers to the secret work that goes on in the human heart. This is the quiet, inner work of God who sows the seeds of truth and goodness, then causes them to grow without our conscious
awareness.
Sowing and reaping are essential activities in the world of time and space. Farmers sow their seeds in the springtime and then wait for the time of
reaping during the fall harvest. It is an annual cycle that is essential for human survival. Surprisingly, Jesus says that it is not necessary to wait four months for the harvest. We can enjoy the harvest right now. “Look,” He says, “The fields are already white for harvest.”
These words do not refer to a physical harvest, but rather to the spiritual harvest of goodness and truth that is available to us at every moment. Throughout our lives, the Lord has been busy planting seed in us, even from the time that we were infants. Unknown to us and in secret ways, these seeds have been developing and maturing. Many are still in process, and many
are available for the reaping today. Each time we decide to act on some truth that we know, we are reaping the harvest. Each time we find ourselves touched by the innocence of child, we are reaping the harvest. Each time we perform some useful service without thinking of reward, we are reaping the harvest. Each time we experience a positive change in our inner world, we are reaping the harvest. As Jesus says, “The fields are already white for harvest.”
A practical application
There is a tendency in each of us to believe that happiness is coming at some future time. We might say, “I will be happy when the weekend comes,” or “I will be happy when I can go on vacation,” or “I will be happy when my plans succeed,” or “I will be happy when I retire,” or “I will be happy in heaven.” Jesus teaches us that we don’t need to wait for the future. When He says, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields. They are already white for harvest,”
He is reminding us that happiness is not only all around us, but within us as well. The seeds that He has been planting in us all along are bearing fruit. We are learning to find joy in simpler, finer things. We are learning to feel the joy of another as joy in ourselves. We are learning to be peaceful and contented with what we have. We are learning to be grateful. All we need to do is “lift up our eyes.” Give it a try. Enjoy the harvest.
