All Fathers
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
The Book of Deuteronomy repeats a lot of what God has already spoken through Moses to the Israelites, but provides “second or elaborated law” (meaning deuteronomion in the Greek). It’s basically recap and preparation before the big move across the Jordan River. The words above—and their timing—underscore the importance of spiritual legacy and heritage—of sowing seeds of remembrance, respect, and holiness into the next generation.
Every God’s man is called to fatherhood. Whether we have biological, adopted, fostered, step, or no children, we are all called to be fathers in the Spirit. This means we are called to sow seeds into others, water and nurture those seeds, and sometimes nurse them to maturity. When God spoke to Moses in Deuteronomy, he was underscoring something of critical importance: the continuing spiritual legacy of His Chosen People through their generations to come. As spiritual sons of the King we were made to worship Him and procreate—first and foremost, spiritually.
One of the main reasons Satan hates us is because we are the only created beings who can procreate in God’s image. When we hear that, we think sex. But what about the brother who never marries but spends 50 years working with youth, or ministering in prisons? Ten thousand years from now he will be enjoying heaven with hundreds—perhaps thousands—of spiritual children. The point is that God’s men are procreators—He gives us the spiritual seeds and shows us where to sow them, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is not an option—to not sow the seeds we’ve been given is to miss our spiritual calling.
To be a “spiritual gardener” we need to be deliberate in our actions—volunteer, mentor, teach. Our main obstacles? Our own pain and distractions which tell us “you’ve got no bandwidth” to help other guys. The remedy? Step out anyway. God has implanted seeds within you, and He’s just waiting for you to go sow them.
Jesus told His disciples, “Thus the saying, ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor” (John 4:38). Whether you see it or not, you stand on the shoulders of spiritual sons and daughters who have been praying for people God might be putting in your path. Spiritual gardening can take time—sometimes generations. When you walk out your front door, know that God has already planted others’ seeds in ways you can never imagine. All you need to do is say yes to His calling to both sow your own seeds, and to reap the harvest from the work of others who have sown before you. Pretty amazing, right?
Father, help me see myself as a sower of your everlasting seeds of life.