The days of summer...

Proverbs 10:5 says...

"He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully."

In the farming world, farming is the family business. Until even recently, schools would revolve their academic schedule around the harvest season so that children could be at home to help the family when it came time to bring in the crops. Growing and harvesting crops was a big deal. A good harvest meant lots of supplies and comfortable living for the next year while bad harvest usually meant little profit, empty stomachs and no shoes or cloths for the kids - the consequences were huge!

A contrast is made in this verse between to types of men - the wise and the shameful. What are the differences between them? One gathers during the summer while the other sleeps during harvest. This is significant to our lives because each must decide each day which of these men we will be. Will we gather or will we sleep? We have all been entrusted with a farm and everybody's farm is different. Some farms grown fruit, others corn, wheat, cows.....there are farms for everything and sometimes farms will grow a combination of things. Your life is the same way...you have been given a farm to look after and grow and no two farms are alike. Your farm might include your job, family, your position as little leaugue coach, student, the list goes on and on. Regardless of the nature of your farm the big question is whether you are harvesting or sleeping. Harvesting is hard work especially in the summer when the days are hot and the sun beats down brightly. On days like this, the hot days, the ones where working outside is hard, isn't it easier and much more comfortable to neglect your duties in the fields for a glass of lemonade on the porch? Sure it is.

Any farmer will tell you that farming is hard. They will also tell you the importance of tending to your fields. Forgetting to water or letting weeds run wild are great ways to ruin the crop and miss out on the opportunity for an awesome harvest.

What field or fields have you been given to tend to? The field that came to mind for me was the field I have been given as a college basketball player. As a senior and team captain the Lord has given me a field capable of a great harvest. There are lots of days where I don't want to work in the field because I'm tired or sore or just tired of working out for days in a row. I don't want to lace up those shoes or I would rather hang out with friends than go to the gym and work on my endurance or shooting. But the Bible tells up that the wise man will work even when it's not easy because he knows that a great harvest awaits. For me and basketball the great harvest is not in the personal accolades or the championships but in being able to play in such a way that brings glory to God and causes other people to want to know him more.

In Matthew 9:38 Jesus tells his disciples, "the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" and in Luke 12:48 He says, "to whom much is given much much will be required." What field has the Lord given you to tend to? Are you willing to work hard this summer off season and and tend to your field in such a way that it produces a great harvest one day in His kingdom? I hope you are. Let's get to work!