It’s harvest time again in the fertile fields of Ohio. Corn, soybeans and other crops are right there, just out the door: Ripe, ready, waiting for picking, yield-tallying and story-telling at season’s end. Stories like this one, from my earliest harvest memories and the beginnings of my Christian consciousness.
More than a half-century ago, this 11-year-old city kid was placed with a foster family on a remote central California ranch. Among other things, we ranch kids learned to pitch in and help with the work at hand – and to drive once we could see over the dashboard and reach the pedals. After a couple of years came my first paying job, driving field trucks during the barley harvest. Room and board, $5/day. It was my first grown-up harvest and I thought the world was at my cab door.
Now, my birth family was religious, but not Christian. All along the way, though, I was getting little introductions to the authentic Jesus in all kinds of unlikely places.
• A vacation Bible school welcomed kids off the street as their own, letting this then eight-year-old know that Jesus loved me just as I was and too much to leave me alone.
• A foster family received three siblings, doubling the number of children in their small, simple ranch home. We became their children, and they were as Christ to us.
• Public high school teachers applied the fullness of God’s truth to their ministries in daily life. They taught the impact of Christian faith on Western Civilization. They introduced us to great church music that wove scripture and solid theology into memorable music I sing from heart today.
The harvest field full of souls was at the door of the neighborhood church, the remote foster home, the high school classroom. Thanks be to God, His people opened the doors and bid me come in and be one with them.
Today, the holy harvest awaits and the kingdom of God is still as near as your doorstep.
Jesus sent out His first harvest crew as we read in Luke 10:1-20. He prepared them with faith, instruction, hope and good advice. His whole word is as good today as it was when first given. All who follow Christ Jesus are called to His holy harvest crew. Along our way, we’ll meet folks who long for His word of grace, mercy, hope and love. We’ll also meet those who simply cannot wait for us to shut up, shut down and get out of town. Either way, our life and witness might be the first “Bible” they read.
In Holy Baptism, God called us to prayer and labor in the holy name of the one true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The harvest is God’s. Trust Him. Travel light, work carefully. Stay connected to Christ and His Body, the Church, in Word and Sacraments, worship and prayer. Focus on introducing others to Jesus, who knows them already. Go peacefully. Don’t impose yourselves; be a good guest. Bless those you meet, and let them bless you. And, above all, remember Who sent you – Who you represent. Remember the Message Jesus sends you to share, the message of His completed work on the Cross for the forgiveness of sin, even yours and mine. His grace and mercy are sufficient to forgive your sin, to mend what’s broken in your life, and bring you safely to your heavenly home. He’s with us, start to finish and every step of the way.
Come, Holy Spirit! Prepare hearts and minds to receive the message that Your people share. Prepare us also, to welcome those who are longing for you and meeting you through your message that we share. Glory to the Father, and to the +Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.
