Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.” So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do. Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. Welcome a very Godly, loving woman, my friend Bobbie.
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“He who gathers crops in summer is prudent, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.”
~Proverbs 10:5
What would compel a farmer to “sleep” during harvest time? Given serious consideration, one may be able to discover a few reasons. Sickness, depression over a recent loss, commitment to an urgent need elsewhere, or inadequate help or resources.
These reasons are serious and heartrending and don’t seem to capture the Scripture’s assessment of the one who sleeps. The person who has not made provision for crops to be brought in can be characterized as foolish, unwise, a poor steward, excessively wasteful, even contemptuous in her own plenty. Looked at another way, that sleeper is unaware, uninvolved, detached from the important matters at hand, lacking in foresight, and simply inattentive.
The one who sleeps during harvest may or may not have acceptable excuses, but the time of harvest will come and go regardless of intentions or circumstances. The harvest must be valued and prioritized. The farmer must look ahead and plan for it. She must be alert to changes in temperature and weather, and through steadfast prayer be ready for the unexpected.
Inattention or idleness is linked to an absence of fruitfulness. “He becomes poor who works with a slack hand,” (Proverbs 10:4) but those who pay attention to matters prosper. Intentional women champion and encourage the fruitfulness we want to see in our lives and homes.
Appropriate work must be done in the seasons of planting, weeding, and harvesting in our marriages, parenting, extended family, friendships, vocation, or ministry. An intentional woman, wife, mother, or friend can be compared to a diligent farmer. We, too, may have challenges beyond our control: busy with little ones, in a season of un-wellness, feeling undervalued or unloved, or loss of hope due to repeated disappointment. These factors may loom large, but we continue to work toward harvest with God’s help.
The value we place on the coming season of harvest must not be reduced because of events or issues. We must work now with what is at our disposal, trusting in the Lord who promises to supply all your needs according to all He possesses (Phil 4:19).
Ask ourselves a few questions:
What is the harvest I want to see?
What work needs to be done to prepare for the harvest?
How can I work around or through my key “hindrances/excuses” and move toward intentional success?
One woman responded in this way to the work she needed to do for her marriage: I need to prioritize my husband above my “daily life and ministry” list. I must intentionally put my marriage on my calendar. An increase in physical activity alone or together will yield results as I move toward harvest.
Another woman might say. “That’s great for her, but I have four children under the age of 7. How can I prioritize husband or marriage?” Prioritizing, valuing, and being intentional in our relationships are choices we must make. We are expressing the value we place on our relationships each time we choose what comes first, second, and third in our day. One writer says, “If we put second things first, we lose both. If we prioritize first things, the second and third will come.”
No one can prescribe what “prioritizing” looks like in your relationships. The greater our challenges, the more creative our responses must be. Sit down with a trusted, mature, Christian friend and discuss the issues that keep you from living with intent. Spend time in prayer and ask the Spirit to flood your mind and heart with His light so you can see the way ahead. Harvest is coming. Do not sleep or delay in preparing. “…if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest (Gal 6:9).”
“You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest,’ but I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested.” ~John 4:35 GNB
We welcome you thoughts and feedback. Join the conversation and leave a comment.
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Writer, Editor, Consultant, and Conference Speaker, Bobbie Simpson is a seasoned high school English teacher, women’s Bible study teacher, parent of three adult children and grandparent of three.
Married 36 years to her husband Larry, a 27 year Air Force Officer , she credits the success of her marriage to the “cord of three, which is not easily broken.” Faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation that drives her passion for marriages that thrive, singleness with satisfaction, and parenting with purpose.
For the past seven years Bobbie has written and facilitated spouses’ and couples’ conferences for Spiritually Smart Family Conferences, a ministry that she and her husband founded under the auspices of Officer’s Christian Fellowship. Bobbie is ardent about the health and success of military marriages and homes.
Linking up today with my friend Kristin over at Three-word Wednesday and having a little Coffee for your Heart with Holley. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
