"Whoa and Bother"

It was all just whoa and bother,

When it came down to that ride,

And when we got the call again,

My thoughts I could not hide.

You’re gonna pay us what again,

To gather up that bunch,

The money was too generous,

It all gave me a hunch,

That there was something rotten,

About the pitch they made,

So I deferred and turned ‘em down,

The blame on me was laid.

That I had missed the money,

And things had been real tight,

But, sorry, but not sorry,

I knew something wasn’t right.

Turns out those boys were rustlers,

Had a livestock stealin’ ring,

With paid off ranch and stockyards,

It just beat everything.

And when the gavel sounded,

And the judge his sentence gave,

Several went to prison,

And no lawyer made the save.

God knows I’ve had my failings,

Sowed seeds that turned out bad,

I’ve lost things I have worked for,

And some I never had.

But, thank God, with those rustlers,

I could see the crime,

Long before it happened,

And never gave the time.

The Good Book tells it plainly,

You reap just what you sow,

But foresee that old harvest,

Before you make it grow.

And if you make connection,

‘Tween choice and what you get,

It makes for better choices,

And your results, you bet.

Yes, it was whoa and bother,

When it came down to that ride,

And if they ever call again,

It’s in the light I’ll hide.

“…You will always harvest what you plant…” (Galatians 6:7, NLT)

It’s one of God’s laws. Plant a seed, reap a harvest- for better or for worse. I thought God would forgive my bad choices. Yes, He will, but there are consequences that still result from what we choose that may not be entirely reversed. He forgives completely. He teaches faithfully. He gives grace to deal with the messes we make. But He does not miraculously, magically remove the results. No, that something you have to live with, and over time, you can. But here’s the point. God calls us to plant righteous seeds. That means if we want a better harvest, we have to learn to make better choices. There is no substitutes or short cuts. But soon the righteous harvest will begin to replace the old one, and the negative reaping will be replaced by something far better. Count on it. You harvest what you plant. Happy planting!

Lord, help us to plant seed of righteousness, beginning now, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, markmaggiori.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.