BYM ONLINE DESK Blessing English May 2017 | Page 4

about the Messiah. We don't need to be mature, seasoned
Christians to testify. Our experience draws people to Christ.
With all our doubts and fears we witness. “Nobody cares if
you can't dance well. Just get up and after dance” says Dave
Barry. Her testimony was so convincing that many from the
town dropped their work and went to see Him. Now her fame
has swept around the globe. Our testimony must be full of
life, convincing (Jn 4:39).
His work of getting the people to know Him, is not yet
over. Jesus gave priority to doing “God's will” over food, and
to finish “God's work.” The Father has sent us into this world
to do His will and finish His work. Jesus was serious about
the mission. We must be fully involved in it more than our
food, like Jesus. We do not know when He ate that day. But
the hungry disciples were urging Him to eat, so they could
eat (v 34).
“Do” (v34). Doing is most important. We need to be
proactive. Jesus was in a team, yet He was the only active
soulwinner then. Yes, faith can be a lonely place. He was
training His disciples by modelling. In future, they were the
ones to do the Father's will and finish the task. You may be a
loner doing active soulwinning, to the chagrin of others. But
they learn from you. Later on we see how they became active
witnesses.
Four months more and then the harvest? (v 35) No.
There is no more time to lose. It is already ripe. Jesus was
urging His disciples to open their eyes and “look,” as if they
were closed. In effect their eyes were on the food and making
Jesus eat, so they could eat. Their eyes were not on lost souls.
How ripe she was! No resistance, no opposition! She just
accepted whatever Jesus said and unwound. The harvest has
been ripe for the past 2016 years. We must put the sickle to it.
Four months is a lot of time to waste. Now is the time of
salvation. People are open and ready to receive the Good
News. The night is falling.
The reaper gets his wages by way of encouragement
here and rewards up in heaven, deposited in his account (v
36). The sinner gets eternal life instead of eternal
punishment.
Who sowed for this woman? She had known about
worship, Messiah and His coming. May be her parents or
pastor. Whoever it might be, they must have been
disheartened looking at her life but now it was time for them
to rejoice. Sometimes we may be sowers and sometimes
reapers, sometimes both. So sow with tears without getting
discouraged and patiently wait. You may reap or somebody
may come to reap. If you reap, remember, someone had
sowed. You reap what you did not labour for. Sowing is hard
work done with tears. You have reaped the benefits of their
sweat. So don't boast (vv 34-38).
The Samaritans urged Jesus Christ to stay with them.
That shows their thirst. The idea that Jews do not interact
with the Samaritans took a knock when for two days He
stayed with the Samaritans along with His disciples, eating
their food and mingling with them. How did the disciples
feel? But they were gaining hands-on experience. Where did
the team stay? Jesus was so adjustable, becoming all for all,
as Paul said. The Samaritans were so generous,
accommodating this big number and cooking for them. Will
we do it today that the gospel may spread? Will I stay
anywhere for God or turn into a blob? (vv 39-41).
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