Back in a ‘previous lifetime’ of mine, when I lived in San Antonio, I spent a few years working with two different friends learning how to build cabinets and houses. It truly was a character developing season in my life that was much needed at that time. One of those friends, Tim, asked me a profound question one time, passing on some words of wisdom to me. Sensing I was getting in a bit of a rush on a project, he asked: “If you don’t have time to do it right the first time, how are you going to find time to go back and fix it?”

It's one thing to hang on to and remember... ‘pearls of wisdom’ like that for a long period of time; but it’s another thing altogether to put those words of wisdom into practice; and I have not always been good about doing that in multiple areas of my life. How many have learned the hard way... how easy it can be to ‘get ahead of God’? His ‘timetables’ differ greatly from our timetables...as I have come to learn. His ways and methods are not like ours. (Isa. 55:8-9).

Would you take a moment and go read Matt. 9:35-38. What we see Jesus doing here, as He was moved with compassion and healed the multitudes of every manner of sickness and disease...is a picture of what the ministry of the church is ‘supposed’ to be doing today.

And just like back then, there is no shortage today of multitudes of people...in need of healing, deliverance, and let’s not forget...good solid ‘teaching’, as we read where Jesus did that also (35). He looked upon the crowds and His heart ached for them, because He saw them as ‘weary sheep’...scattered and wandering about like sheep having no shepherd. This was never God’s desire, design, nor intent for His people to live like this. And why... are God’s people often suffering if not ‘destroyed’, according to Hosea 4:6? (hint: a lack of knowledge)

Now take a look at vs. 37. Jesus turns to His disciples and informs them that the ‘harvest’ is truly plentiful. The word ‘harvest’ suggest crops that are ripe and ready for picking. He’s not talking about new seedlings that will take an extended period of time to come to maturity and bear fruit. He was saying to them in that moment...now is the time...the ‘fruit’ is ready for picking; but there was one problem: a shortage of ‘laborers’. Do we all know what happens to crops that are heavy with ripe fruit but no one is around to harvest that fruit? They go to waste.

Let’s take a look at the prayer request Jesus pleads for in vs. 38- “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest field.” He already made it known the ‘laborers were few’ in number. Do you know how many sincere believers, especially new converts...often respond when they hear this? “Send Me!”. New ‘babes in Christ’ are ready to jump into action and get busy working for God. It’s what we were born to do, and clearly the reason God ‘saved’ us, is it not?

Youth and ‘zeal’ are great qualities to possess, but I think we also realize that when it comes to getting any kind of important work done, especially with matters pertaining to the kingdom, that it requires more than just youthful zeal. I know it might not seem like a whole lot of ‘skill’ is required to go pick ripe strawberries from a field, but there is more to it than just ‘picking fruit’ when it comes to God’s kingdom.

I realize I am taking my time here to get to the ‘meat’ of this message, but hang with me and hear me out because I’m sharing it with you as it is being ‘fed’ to me; and my heart is all over the place right now.

I am reminded of three very significant examples found in scripture where some well-known individuals may have ‘jumped the gun’ when it came to jumping into service to help God out, but then quickly learned there was an extended season of having to wait for God’s timing. The first individual was Moses, who at the age of 40, a man of destiny no doubt, stepped up to render aid to God’s people. That backfired on him and the next thing you know, he is on the backside of the desert for another 40 years where we hear nothing from him. (Ex. 2:10-25)

The second person who comes to mind is Jesus Himself. We know that He was ‘sinless’ but that’s not to say He didn’t have things to ‘learn’, as we are later told in Hebrews 5:8. I could be wrong here, but I have a hunch He may have got ahead of His Father’s leading when He strayed from His earthly parents at the age of 12 while visiting the big city of Jerusalem. When they found Him 3 days later in the temple, impressing all those who heard Him’... He was quickly escorted home by Mary and Joseph and we don’t hear a peep out of Him for 17 more years (Luke 2:43-50).

And then there was Paul. After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, there was a brief ‘testimonial tour’ where he met with various church leaders who were all skeptical if Paul’s conversion was the ‘real deal’, given his reputation and history. But then we come to understand that Paul ‘disappears for a period of time ranging from 11-13 years (Gal. 1:11-23). It seems he too...had a ‘process’ to go through, before he returns and leaves his indelible mark on the early church with not only his preaching ministry, but his writing and teaching ministry as well that would eventually lead to 2/3’s of our New Testament today.

One thing that often frustrated Paul when dealing with the various churches, was the lack of maturity he found in them. 1 Cor. 3:1-3 is one example and if we are to assume he wrote the book of Hebrews...then 5:12-6:6 echoes similar concerns. ‘Maturity’ is everything in the kingdom of God, whether you are talking about ‘fruit’, or the aging process of a good wine. Jesus mentions several times the problem when fruit fails to come to maturity in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-9). Friends...the ‘maturing’ process takes time; and yes, I know God can do ‘quick works’ in us, as Jesus demonstrated when He instantly converted that water into a ‘fine wine’ in John 2:1-10; but I have to wonder if we are oftentimes guilty of trying to ‘rush the process’ in our attempt to ‘help God out’ in expanding the kingdom.

You do realize that Jesus taught unless we are ‘abiding in Him’...no fruit can ever be produced in us (John 15:1-8). And as I have come to understand in recent years what it means to abide in Him...I have come to conclude that we can do lots of ‘great things’ in the kingdom, but our effectiveness falls way short of what God’s plans and desires were for us, if Matt. 7:21-23, 1 Cor. 13:1-8, and 2 Tim. 3:1-7 teaches us anything. If you’re not quite sure where I am going with all this...don’t worry. Give it some ‘time’; we’ll pick up with this here tomorrow, Lord willing.