Article March 17, 1923 Issue

Sowing and Reaping

HERBERT W. BECK

When one hears the expression, "We reap what we sow," thought usually conjures up an evil ending to a wrong beginning. This expression is so often used in reference to evil seed and its harvest that the good seed and its bountiful fruitage is not considered. Christian Science handles evil, and shows how unerringly penalty and evil's destruction follow wrongdoing; but that is not the full mission of Christian Science. It is common knowledge that evil brings forth its own kind; but Christian Science accentuates the operation of God's law in the affairs of men and the understanding of divine Principle, which shows how inevitable is the good harvest from a proper sowing.

Human thought has been educated to believe that evil is natural, and goodness the occasional or hoped for, but rarely possessed. In Christian Science we learn how true, how unavoidable, is the law of like producing like. Jesus, several times, drove home to his followers the truth that one does not gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. James also asks if a fig tree beareth olive berries, or a vine, figs. While Jesus recognized that the planting of tares in the wheat field might delay the harvest, still the tare was a tare and never a head of wheat. Each belonged to its own sphere; and the wheat that was later garnered was wheat from the planting of wheat, and not from the planting of the tares. The Master definitely said, "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit,"—the good tree and its fruit, even as the evil tree and its fruit.

The great boon that Christian Science brings to us is the clear understanding that the good tree brings forth good fruit. When the soil is properly prepared in love and humility, and good seed is sown in the tenderness of self-sacrifice, God giveth the increase; and this increase is sure. So many explain, "I mean to start correctly, do everything according to my highest sense of right; and, then, just as I expect to get results, it all fades away." Some business men have had this experience, and in discouragement wonder why Christian Science does not do as much for them as for others! Jesus gave the reason. After the man sowed his seed, he slept; and while he slept, "his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. ... But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also." To be awake is to understand and realize that God's law operates, that it fulfills its purpose and cannot fail. The honest endeavor rightly conceived and brought forth must have its rightful results. Not knowing this and doubting it are mental tares, which may be unseen until the harvest. The tares in the blade cannot easily be distinguished from the wheat, until the head of each appears. Even so, ignorance and doubt may not be distinguishable by the student, until his failure shows these in his consciousness.

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