The Harvest

“The fields are white unto harvest… pray for workers for the harvest.”

I love that verse.

I have only in the past few years come to realize that very few teachers “rightly divide” that verse considering the simple context of it.

You have no doubt heard this taught as an invitation from Jesus to raise up “leaders.”  Yes, maybe that is so, in a very indirect way that is so.  It is, of course, true that God is calling current leaders to raise up leaders.  However, that is not in the least what Jesus is calling for here.  This is a commentary about:

The constant condition of the receptivity of human hearts anywhere, everywhere is ripe – at least a decent percentage are ripe.

Let’s rephrase that without losing anything Jesus said.  “The fields are white unto harvest…”  He didn’t put any conditions upon that observation.  I have heard so many many many pastors – leaders tell me, “You don’t understand how things are here… this is a super tough place… it isn’t like it is in Cincinnati… or Los Angeles… or D.C… or Oslo where you have been.”

Hello!  All of those places are actually in the category of “spiritual graveyards.  I won’t get into it here, but each of those areas has been described by numerous evangelists as being graveyards.  It’s not about the geography for those who are hyper-spiritual and are seeing more than God himself concerning the “reigning spirits…”  Wow… someone tell me to ‘come on!’

The issue is always just this:  “Are you willing to notice what God IS doing… Are you willing to notice WHO God IS touching, IS inviting.”  Guaranteed, wherever you are, Jesus is at work with a huge percentage of your local population.  If you don’t agree with me that’s fine.  You are wrong.  Be wrong if you like.  But you are wrong.  Jesus says so, and I agree.

Leaders can see the ripeness of the fields.

Another way to put it – leaders see what God is doing.  Leaders focus their attention on what IS happening.  Leaders build upon strengths, not weaknesses.

I have been told by inept, non-leaders in somewhat convincing ways that it is a good thing to be “balanced.”  You might want to copy and paste this line:  “Balance is for sissies.”
Balance only exists in a vacuum.
There is no balance in nature – never has been, never will be.

I am not against environmentalists.  I have my Sierra Club calendar on the wall. Love the pictures.  On the other hand, without a living relationship with the Living God, there is a propensity for humans to seek to enforce “balance” that is non-existent upon all things – when in fact that state will never exist.

Jesus called out leaders who had a seminal focus – a seminal, one of a kind strength.  Then he encouraged that “one thing” (to quote Curley from City Slickers, still the concept is thoroughly biblical) to flourish by the presence of the Holy Spirit big time.

The kingdom of God was carried out by a virtual army of “one thing” people walking out the message for generations until more than half of the world was converted – that is 350 A.D.