The Farmer

2 Timothy 2:1-7

2Ti 2:1                   You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,

2Ti 2:2                   and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2Ti 2:3                   Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2Ti 2:4                   No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

2Ti 2:5                   An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

2Ti 2:6                   It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.

2Ti 2:7                   Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

A farmer must have one of the most frustrating and stressful jobs out there. His whole life is dependent upon factors that he cannot control. He cannot make it rain. He cannot make the winds not blow. For the most part, he can’t keep birds away from eating the seed. He cannot keep it from flooding. He cannot keep it from frosting. The farmer is completely dependent on God to let his crops grow. The God-dependant farmer will be on his knees everyday asking God for help so that he does not toil in vain.

We could talk about the faith of the God-dependant farmer, but this text isn’t necessarily speaking of the faith of a farmer. Paul says the “hard-working” farmer. This must mean that there are factors in which the farmer can control.

The hardworking farmer does not get up and pray, “Lord, protect the seed I have sown, and please bring the right amount of rain  and the right amount of sun,” and then just sit on the couch hoping that God takes care of it.

Pro 20:4                The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

The hard-working farmer prays that prayer and goes out to the field pulling weeds until his hands are torn, all the while begging God to make it rain. This farmer should share in the first share of the crops. If we look in scripture for “first share” or “first fruits”, you will see in Galatians:

Gal 5:22                But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal 5:23                gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Personally, are we cultivating the things we should be? Are we working as hard as we can and asking God to help us, or are we just asking God to do something about it? Are you content with your walk with Christ? What aren’t you content about? What are you actually doing about it?

Take time to think over your life and ask yourself these questions.

Too many of us just tell God that we hate the sin in our life and we want him to do something about it but we are not actually working hard at the things in our control. We need to be like the hard-working farmer and we will reap the reward of growth in the things of Christ. I want more love. I want more joy. I want more peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. I think that we will find that these things will grow together rather than just being good at 1 or 2 for a short period of time.

 Pray that God will help you become the servant that he desires, not necessarily what you desire. Ask Him to encourage you to be the hard-working farmer, and then go out and do something about it!

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”
-The Unknown James, “James 5:7”-