Day 9: What Are You Planting Today?

Yesterday we discussed the first part of Proverbs 31:16- She considereth a field and buys it.....

Today, I want to discuss the last part of Proverbs 31:16- 

... with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. (KJV)

Proverbs 31:16- .... then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden. (The Message)

Proverbs 31:16- ...She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned. (GW)

Proverbs 31:16- ... With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. (AMP)

I was reading a commentary not too long ago about the Proverbs 31 woman and one particular thing they noted was the seeds of character she had. The seeds that she planted in her life as well as her family's lives. A vineyard is a location where seeds are planted to yield a harvest of grapes that can be used for an assortment of things to further yield a profit. The Proverbs 31 woman planted the appropriate seeds to generate good things for her family-- the funds to care for them, the funds to ensure their survival.  She planted good things that could be used to obtain a profit for her family- something that would benefit her family as a whole and make their lives easier... better. I believe that is the purpose behind this scripture- to stir something within us to make us ask ourselves the question--- 

What kind of things are we planting in our own lives?? 

Good things that can be used for a profit (not just monetary profits)?

Bad things that bring negative in to your life?

I read a quote on Pinterest today (this is becoming a theme, huh? Lol) and it said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." (Robert Louis) Another one stated, "The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?" (Buddha)

What are we planting in our hearts today? Are we planting seeds of jealousy? Anger? Wrath? Bitterness? Gossip? Complaining? Negative thoughts? Revenge? If so, this means that our harvest will be just that-- a harvest of jealousy. A harvest of anger. A harvest of wrath. A harvest of bitterness. A harvest of tearing other people down with our words. A harvest of negative thoughts which then breeds negative words. 

Or are we planting seeds of faith? Seeds of compassion? Seeds of mercy? Seeds of peace? Seeds of joy? Seeds of positive speaking? Seeds of patience? Seeds of uplifting words? If so, this means that our harvest will be just that-- a harvest of faith. A harvest of compassion. A harvest of mercy. A harvest of peace. A harvest of joy. A harvest of positivity. A harvest of patience. A harvest of encouragement. 

I hope everyone knows that when I write these blogs-- I'm pointing every single one of my fingers at myself. These blogs are to get my heart and my life straight. I have been the person that has planted seeds of bitterness, anger, revenge, gossip, and complaining for far too long. Mark Twain once wrote, "Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured." And if that isn't the truth, I don't know what is. It will destroy you. It will destroy your harvest. The people you're angry at??? They're probably sleeping at night. But then there's you-- stirring and building a supply of junk in your heart that keeps you awake at night and steals your peace through the day.

It isn't worth it. I promise. For the past month, I have found myself pouring out my heart to God and just telling him to get all this icky gunk out of my heart and out of my life!! I was so full of disgusting things! I've just been pleading with him to clean me out... irrigate my heart... my mind.. my thoughts. Get rid of all those bad seeds! Take them out of me completely. There's no room for them-- because I want Him to plant GOOD things in to my life!

Jesus, please help us to get rid of those bad seeds in our lives. Help us to get rid of that negativity, that jealousy, that anger, that bitterness, that gossiping lifestyle, that anxiety. Anything that isn't like You! And as You sweep through and rid us of all of that nasty stuff... fill us up with GOOD things!!! Pour Your spirit in to us Jesus, please! Fill us with peace.. fill us with compassion.. fill us with love... fill us with understanding... fill us with joy.. fill us with grace... fill us with positive speaking... fill us with patience! Get that bad out, Lord, and replace it with good. We love You and we want to be pleasing to You, to ourselves, and to our families. Help us to plant good things for all of the people around us. They deserve it... and our hearts deserve us making this sacrifice!

What are you planting today?