✟ Do Not Grow Weary: The Reward of Faithful Goodness

The Apostle Paul’s words to the Galatian believers remind us of an unchanging truth: God’s justice cannot be mocked. Just as a farmer reaps what he plants, our actions—good or bad—will produce a harvest in due time. This principle is not only about avoiding sin; it is also about faithfully doing good, even when the world offers no applause.

In our fast-paced, results-driven culture, we are often tempted to look for immediate rewards for doing good. Yet, the Kingdom of God operates on a different timetable. The seeds we plant today in kindness, generosity, and compassion may not yield an instant return, but in God’s perfect timing, they will produce a harvest far greater than we can imagine.

Paul draws a sharp contrast: those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will reap decay and death, but those who live to please the Spirit will reap eternal life.

When we sow to the flesh, our efforts are self-serving. They may produce temporary satisfaction, but the end result is emptiness. Conversely, when we sow to the Spirit—living in obedience to God’s Word, motivated by love and humility—the harvest is everlasting.

Think of it this way: if a farmer plants weeds, he cannot expect a field of wheat. Likewise, if we plant selfishness, we cannot expect a harvest of righteousness.

Paul knew the human heart. He understood that doing good can be exhausting, especially when it seems unnoticed or unappreciated. But here’s the key: we are not doing good to impress others; we are doing it to honor the Lord.

Our reward is not determined by public recognition but by God’s promise—“at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” The timing of the harvest belongs to Him, and His timing is always perfect.

This is where the story of the poor widow speaks so powerfully. In Luke 21:1–4 NLT, we read:

“While Jesus was in the Temple, He watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said, ‘this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.’”

The widow’s act was not grand in the eyes of men, but it was precious in the eyes of the Lord. She gave without expecting anything in return, purely out of devotion. That is the heart of doing good—it’s not about the size of the gift, but the sincerity and sacrifice behind it.

Paul concludes with a call to action: “Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

This is not a selective kindness; it is a consistent, Spirit-led lifestyle.

• Doing good to everyone means we show love to friend and stranger alike, even those who have wronged us.
• Doing good especially to the family of faith means we bear one another’s burdens, support one another in times of need, and strengthen the witness of the church.

Opportunities to do good are everywhere if we are willing to look for them. Sometimes it is a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a meal for someone in need, or a quiet prayer for a hurting soul. Other times it may mean sacrificial giving, much like the widow’s offering—hidden from the crowd, but seen by God.

The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a lifelong planting season. Every act of kindness, every prayer lifted for another, every selfless deed is a seed planted in the soil of eternity.

We must not let discouragement stop us from doing what is right. Your labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT). You may not see the harvest today, but God has promised that in due season, it will come.

So, let us go on doing good—not for applause, not for personal gain, but because it is what honors Christ. Like the widow, let us give all we can—not just from our surplus, but from our hearts—trusting that the God who sees in secret will reward in His time.

So, I say to you, “May the Lord strengthen your faith and use it for His glory, as you walk humbly in His presence.”