Sow Beside All Waters

Thomas was an lonely, old man, and when he died it seemed as if no one would attend his funeral. Author Herbert Gee tells how he decided to go, so that at least one person would accompany the old man on his final journey. Gee was right—no one else came. But at the cemetery, there was a soldier who saluted Thomas' grave.

The soldier told the author that Thomas had been his Sunday school teacher when he was a "wild lad." He explained that he had been a "sore trial" to Thomas. He said, "Thomas never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or ever will be to old Thomas." That soldier was a brigadier officer.

All our life we are to be sowing the good seed (the Word). We are to sow it "in the morning" (in our younger years) and keep sowing it "in the evening" (in our later years). It might seem like the seed is not taking root (that people are not being affected), but we, like Thomas, cannot truly know the good it is doing!

Isaiah 32:20 tells us to "sow beside all waters." How many "wild lads" do we pass over, thinking they are not interested, that they will never accept Christ? How many people are a "sore trial" to us, so we tend to avoid them? How many "soldiers in the making" are in need of our sharing the seed through acts of love and kindness?

You take care of the sowing.
God will take care of the growing.
— Author Unknown