John 4:38

“I am the one who sends you to harvest what others have worked hard to prepare for you.  You didn’t do anything to get the fields ready.  All you do is reap the benefits of their hard labor.” John 4:38 EFP

No doubt Jesus sees things differently than me.  This statement is so typical of Him.  Think about it—hasn’t he been describing the path from the sowing to the harvest of souls for the kingdom?  Has he not strongly implied that in light of the events of the day with the Samaritan woman he is reaping what others have sown?  Is there not a strong hint that John the Baptist is the one who has prepared the way for the success of that specific day and many more to come?  And then this statement….”I send you to reap the benefits….”

I send you to reap the benefits.  Yes, Jesus is talking about the future, but he is throwing in the events of the day in the mix.  He is modeling the concept of “who gets the credit.”  In the previous verse we see the concept of “all the credit is God’s.”  Today we see Jesus model “the credit is everyone’s.”  The disciples were out foraging for bread!  They come back and wonder out loud what Jesus is doing with “the woman.”  What do they do?  Nothing!  But Jesus includes them in the reaping.  They are there—that’s it, but they share in the benefits of the reaping time.  They probably don’t totally get the concept that day, but in time they will.  If their Master could share the credit with them, when in fact they have had no substantive or direct impact on the results of the day, should they not also learn that the work is not about the credit, it’s about the harvest.  We all share the credit, and then we give it to God!

The disciples still have a lot to learn about sharing credit.  So do I.  They are still trying to figure out this kingdom where credit and position do not matter.  It’s not about temporal power or societal prestige or human recognition.  It’s all about God’s power, and His prestige, and His recognition. Jesus once said, “In the same way let your light shine for those around you as you do good works, so that those who see them will recognize the heavenly Father in you, and give him glory.” (Matthew 5:16 EFP)  I do well to internalize this example.  It is one of the occupational hazards of ministry.  He gets the credit.  He shares it with the church.  We give it back.  Only He deserves it.  I like that!