Jesus sent out his disciples with the words, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

The thought of a plentiful harvest takes me back nearly 50 years. I remember picking tomatoes on the hottest day of August; a bumper crop seemed to ripen all at once. Oversized canning kettles were set to boil on a hot stove. Ripe red tomatoes were carefully stuffed into clean Mason jars. Yes, I was sweltering after a day in that kitchen, but those jars of stewed tomatoes soon lined our basement shelves. Our little harvest would last throughout the next winter.

Jesus talks about a plentiful harvest where the workers are few.  I wondered about that.  It could be that the work of the harvest is not so easy.  It could be that it’s work done by the sweat of our brow.  It could be that the workers are on their own with few helpers to make the load lighter.  We get the picture that crowds of folks were not lining up for the task. (They weren’t anxious to help in the kitchen on canning day either!)

What is this harvest of which Jesus speaks?   We read that He sent his disciples out to every town and place.  He told them to enter a community, to heal the sick, to tell the news that “The kingdom of God has come near.”   It wasn’t an easy task.   Sometimes they were welcomed.  Sometimes they were sent away.  But, the message was vital.  After the original twelve disciples, Jesus chose seventy-two more to head out two by two.  Thanks to their dedication, the gospel of our Lord began to spread throughout the known world.

What is the harvest to which Jesus calls us?  There’s a whole world of humanity that needs to hear of His love.  The field is ripe with ears to listen. With the family in our own home, neighbors next door, old friends and new friends – we can share His message. With our church family, our local community, our friends and family miles away – we can share His message.  With the stranger, the forlorn, the needy – we can share His message. For those who are reached by missionaries in foreign lands – we can offer our prayers and support to share His message.   As Luke tells us, take the message “to every town and place.”

The harvest is plentiful and Jesus chooses you to be one of His workers.  What a privilege He grants.  And why does He choose you to help?  He loves you, He loves you unconditionally.

Judy

Today’s Reading is Luke 10:1-11: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A1-11%2CLuke+10%3A16-20&version=NRSV