“My
food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to
finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four
months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the
fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a
wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the
reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another
reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.
Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of
their labor” (John 4:34-38 NIV).
I
wear more bling around my neck than probably I should. But each of my
three necklaces (stainless steel I assure you) has significance. One
necklace is a gift from my wife (now deceased) and has on it a cross
that came with the necklace. Additionally this chain now sports my
wife’s wedding rings. The second was a gift from my mother-in-law.
To this chain I have added an anchor upon which a crucifix is
affixed. My son has an identical pendant about his neck. The third
necklace has special meaning. It is in tribute to all those who are
non-Christian but who because of their compassion and humility often
out-Christian Christians. These are people that “are ripe for
harvest.” They manifest Christ in all ways but name only. They
often have been raised by kind and loving parents or undergone
similar influences. “Others [that is] have done the hard work.”
The structure of Christian faith is perfectly complementary to their
meticulously crafted personalities and resolution only awaits an
intimate pairing between them and Emmanuel.
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