You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! (John 4:35-36)

Read: Judges 1:1 – 3:30

Relate: When I was a freshman in college, I worked at this little mom and pop pizza and grill in Rhode Island called Mama Gina’s. I think that was what it was called. I was only working there for about six months and that was decades ago. Most nights I worked the pizza side and there was a guy who did delivery who would work along side in between his deliveries. We would talk about a lot of things but more often then not our conversation would work its way around to talking about God. He was very open and we would work through different roadblocks that might keep him from committing his life to God, but I could never get him to take that final step.

One day I was working away when he shows up and says, “Guess what, I did it.” I started racking through my mind from the past days conversations wondering what exactly what it was he did when he told me, “I’m a born again now.” Not exactly the terminology I would use but a big smile grew on my face and I asked the details. Apparently he took his car in to a mechanic’s shop when the guybehind the desk randomly asked, “Are you saved?” My friend answered, “No, but I would like to be.” After the mechanic’s jaw dropped off the floor the two talked for a brief bit and my friend surrendered his life to God right then and there. To be honest, I was a bit jealous. Here I was investing weeks, even months, in conversation and prayer and then some random stranger led him that last step.

React: Is there a “random stranger” in your near future? Some people are ready. They are desperate and waiting for someone to ask them, “Are you saved?” It is like low hanging fruit ready to be plucked at the slightest touch. Day by day they go through their life waiting for somebody… anybody, to notice them. For my friend, it was a matter of pride. He had already resisted taking that step with me a couple times. He wanted to do it but he needed someone else to ask. There might be people you will meet ready and eager to commit their lives to Christ. Someone else has already made an investment in time and prayer. Someone else has poured their heart and soul into making that ground ready. Will you walk with them the final step? Open your eyes. The fields are ripe for the harvest.

Respond: 

God, help me to be aware. Some people plant seeds, some people prepare the ground, other people reap the harvest but You always get the glory. Help me to be aware in every conversation and in every interaction I will have today where that person is in their walk toward You. Help me to be intentional in every thought and action. For those that needs seeds planted, help me to be faithful to speak You. For those who need ground tilled, help me be faithful to live You. For those ready to surrender to You, help me to have the courage to speak and to ask and to be ready.