Finding the Harvest

Let us not become tired of doing good. 

At the right time we will gather a crop if we don’t give up. 

Galatians 6:9

The corn is getting tall here in Indiana, telling us that the time to harvest is coming soon. I love living here for the sheer beauty of the changing seasons. Harvest is my favorite time. The air is crisp and so are the apples. It is a reminder that in order for life to be perpetuated, there has to be a sacrifice of life. That is a lesson we can bring home every day of the week. 

What does harvest look like in your marriage? In your home? In your family?  If you want to see growth in your children, childish ways must be sacrificed. If you want to see growth in your marriage, there must be a sacrifice of pride. If you want to see growth in the family, you have to sacrifice time and give more than you take. There is always something to be given up if there is something to be gained.

One of the most difficult things for most couples to give up for the greater good of the marriage is pride. I am not talking about arrogance that is easy to spot, but the true conception that I Am Right and You Are Not, which is a little trickier to spot.  We fight long and hard because we believe that we are right and will take down the whole city to prove it. It isn't just you, it is normal. Some people fight harder than others, depending upon their disposition and heritage, but none the less, there is a battle of wills that will almost always occur as two people join their lives to become one.

Perhaps we could take a look at Paul's words and restore some of our energy into the planting of seeds that will bring growth rather than burning your spouses fields to prove that your way is better. I don't think he would have said it if it wasn't a struggle to do good. "Let us not become tired of doing good." As long as I think that my way is good and your way isn't, I am going to work so hard to prove it that I will grow tired. Once exhaustion takes over, things get really ugly. 

What if we were to all take a step backward and remember that we are a team and we can harvest twice as much good if we work together. Your differences should be strengthening your marriage, not tearing it apart. Do Good for your family by taking the best in both of you and building a team that wins at life and at loving and doing good for the world. Realize that there is not just one perspective in the union, but two very different ones that can work together so much better than they can work separately. 

Allowing and encouraging your partner to bring their best to the table means you have to see and accept that their best doesn't (and is not supposed to) look at all like your best. So, don't give up ... but maybe give in... just a bit and find a compromise and build a team and have some fun morphing into the union that can be the best atmosphere to bring about a harvest of goodness in your home.