Galatians 6:9-10 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
In the later portion of verse eight, Paul has given us the encouraging truth that “he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” There is a simple truth about sowing and reaping: we cannot sow one day and expect to reap the next. When we sow, it takes time for the “seed” to germinate, grow, and produce a harvest. During this time, there has to be the correct amounts of sun and rain, and the field has to be tended to keep the weeds and pests out.
In order to have a good harvest, we must recognize that some things are in God’s hands alone (sun and rain) and other things have been laid out as our responsibility (weeding and pest control). Anyone who has ever had even a small garden knows it takes a lot of diligence to tend what is sown (or planted) to bring it to harvest. Even when there are exactly the right amounts of sun and rain, if we do not tend to the field the harvest will be small at best.
The weeds will overwhelm the crop, take up the nutrients, and choke the plants so that only poor fruit is produced, if there is any fruit at all. Even if fruit is produced, we must be diligent to keep the worms, beetles, and other pests away or they will devour the harvest. There is a lot that has to be done between sowing and reaping. While it is good to do these things, it is also easy to become tired with the daily tending.
When we sow to the Spirit, we must be diligent to tend to Godly things. God will never fail in providing those things that only He can grant to us: life, faith, light, ability, etc. Once we have been granted these gifts from God, it is our responsibility to use them to His glory. We take the tools that He has given and we keep out the weeds of doubt and despair. Fear and apathy are meticulously removed so that the fruit is not spoiled before it can be harvested.
The promise is that if we do not grow weak and faint in our good labor (obedience to the Spirit), we shall have a harvest to reap and enjoy. This harvest comes in the proper time (see Strong’s definition of “season”) for our individual need (see Strong’s definition of “due”). Because this is individual by design, there is always sowing and reaping going on in God’s kingdom. You may be enjoying your harvest while I am sowing, and another will be sowing while I am reaping. All along the way we will all be busy with “well doing.”
As a result of our sowing, reaping, and well doing, we are going to have opportunity. We will find ourselves with an occasion to do good. To a greater degree (especially), we may have an occasion to do good to those who are related (household) in our reliance on Christ for salvation (faith). However, we will also have opportunity to do good to those who are not of the household of faith. We should not neglect to do good to all men as the Spirit gives us opportunity.
May the Holy Spirit refresh us that we not grow weary in doing well, even in a world that seems to have little space in it for those who would do so!