Success, Seeds, and Sowing

This last week, we were thrilled to be able to connect with friends who were in Mexico building a home and serving where we visited a year ago.  Because it was the same area, our request was to check on the family where we had built before.  It had been so exciting to play a small role in impacting their lives, so we were eager to hear an update.

The world measures success by results--the house, the bank account, the business, stability, etc.  We often like to see that as well (and can easily become discouraged if we don't see those same results).  God seems to have an entirely different perspective.  Remember, when God was choosing a king for Israel?  He reminded the prophet Samuel that while man looks at the outward appearance, He looks at the heart.  

We can look at tragic circumstances, addiction, imprisonment, poverty, etc as failures or devastation, but God sees them as incredible opportunities to let His light shine at very dark times.  In Mexico, the family we built the home for has faced some very tough circumstances, but does that make the trip from last year unsuccessful?  Not at all!  We have no idea of the impact of seeds that were sown.  

I wonder if God measures success more by obedience and willingness to trust Him rather than results?  If our success is based on results from our efforts, it comes back to us.  When God asks us to do something, aren't the results up to Him?  

I think of a farmer planting seeds.  Can he will them to grow?  Does he control the weather?  Can he determine the quantity or quality of harvest?  The farmer's responsibility is to prepare to soil, equip the machinery, watch the weather and work incredibly hard during that planting season, but after he's done all he can do, the results are ultimately out of his hands.  

How is it so different with us?  God may prompt us to help someone, step out in faith, offer an encouragement, etc.  This is part of planting seeds, we don't know the results, but God does and He will bring in the harvest in due season.