“You reap what you sow.” When my life—or the lives of those around me—is going well, this paraphrase of Galatians 6:7 sounds like affirmation for a job well done. My confidence soars as my work thrives and my community flourishes, which motivates me to keep up the good work. But on days when I face intense suffering and loss, “you reap what you sow” sounds like a thundering black cloud of condemnation. I wonder if I’m reaping the consequences of a specific sin. Bewildered, I start trying to figure it out. Was it something I said, a selfish decision, or a sinful attitude that’s caused all this pain? In the past, I’ve concluded that whether things are going well or going south, it’s probably a consequence for actions or attitudes. And sometimes it is, as my sin causes struggles for me and those around me. But sometimes, this conclusion involves a truckload of faulty assumptions. Tit for Tat Often, I’m assuming that good things happen to me because God is blessing me for doing good. And if something bad happens, God is trying to teach me a lesson to correct some mistake I’ve made. If I can figure out what I’ve done, I may be able to turn things around so all can be well again. This is exactly what Job’s friends think. They vigorously assert that God doesn’t reject good people; he blesses them. And God doesn’t help bad people; he punishes them—all their hopes come crashing down and are brought to nothing (Job 8:20). It’s simple cause and effect. You do bad, and bad things happen to you. You do good, and good things happen to you. That’s the way God works. There’s just one problem: Job hasn’t done anything wrong. He hasn’t forgotten God, and God hasn’t rejected him. Yet Job loses everything—all his children, livestock, wealth, health, and reputation. He’s left empty-handed. He isn’t being punished. But it hurts like crazy. He isn’t being punished. But it hurts like crazy. Oozing with sores, Job sits in ashes and weeps. His friends keep telling him to get his act together and make things right so God will restore everything (Job 8:5-7). In unbearable agony and confusion, Job has so many questions: “Why is God letting this happen to me? Why is God so mad at me? Why has he abandoned me?” He can’t figure it out. It doesn’t make any sense. Suffering for Good The truth is, Job is a target—not of God’s displeasure but of the Devil’s malevolence (1:6–2:10). Job isn’t suffering because he’s done anything wrong but because he hasn’t. He isn’t reaping what he’s sown. He’s reaping the opposite. God allows the Devil to test Job, but the test isn’t a lesson for Job to learn. It’s a test to showcase Job’s devoted faith. Put pure gold in the fire, and it comes out proven pure. Put genuine faith through suffering, and it comes out proven genuine (1 Pet. 1:6–7). But Job doesn’t know this is why he’s suffering so terribly. His friends assume he’s reaping what he’s sown. Job assumes God has turned against him. But they’re all mistaken, and it leads them to painfully wrong conclusions. We see this same mistake in the New Testament, when Jesus’s disciples ask if a man’s blindness was caused by his sin or his parents’ sin. Neither, Jesus answers, but “that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:2–3). This principle plays out again during the crucifixion, when people assume Jesus is getting what he deserves (Isa. 53:4). And as Jesus hangs on the cross, he—like Job—feels abandoned by God (Matt. 27:46). But Jesus isn’t reaping what he’s sown—instead, he’s reaping what humanity has sown. Though completely innocent, Jesus is attacked by the Devil and by people. God is being glorified through the suffering both Job and Jesus endure. Sometimes that’s what’s going on with our suffering too.  Job shows us that God is worthy of love and devotion even when life is extremely hard and doesn’t make sense—even when God doesn’t make sense. And even more, Jesus motivates us to be faithful because he wasn’t merely an innocent sufferer, but in his suffering and death, he paid the penalty for all sin.  Discern Your Suffering “You reap what you sow” is a general principle, not an absolute law of cause and effect. It’s generally true that sin comes with consequences. If you commit adultery, you may blow up your marriage. If you steal, you may go to jail. If you hate, God may prick your conscience until you’re finally miserable enough to confess, repent, and start loving your neighbor. But not all suffering is a direct discipline or a lesson to be learned. The apostle Peter says, “Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Pet. 4:19, NIV). God is being glorified by the faithfulness of both Job and Jesus through the suffering they endure. That verse reveals that sometimes our suffering is an assignment from God designed to showcase the authenticity of our trust and devotion to him despite how badly things are going. This suffering magnifies God’s greatness and worth. Those bad things are God’s good purpose for us, a means for him to be glorified in us. How do we know the difference? If we’re suffering due to sin, God will let us know. He won’t keep us guessing. His Spirit will convict and guide us toward repentance, especially if we ask him to (John 16:8). But if, like Job or the blind man, we can’t figure out what we may have done to deserve what we’re going through, then God may be demonstrating the genuineness of our faith and glorifying himself by cultivating greater spiritual maturity in us (Heb. 12:6–11). As Henri Nouwen says, “When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become.” Through this crushing, we experience the promise of Psalm 126:5 (NIV): “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” Instead of our pain-filled tears being signs of God’s discipline, they may be seeds for a harvest of future joy. We may not experience the fullness of that joy until we arrive in heaven, but like Jesus who endured suffering “for the joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:2), we can persevere in hope, knowing that “weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps. 30:5, NLT).

There’s no cookie-cutter approach to honoring aging parents. Most senior citizens say they’d like to stay in their own home as they age. When family members live nearby, simply picking up groceries and cutting the lawn may be all that’s needed. But the financial and logistical challenges increase as distance grows. Furthermore, an aging parent’s desires sometimes don’t line up with his or her declining physical and mental capabilities. Christians know we have to honor our parents, but we need help understanding what that looks like. That challenge will only grow as the average age of the U.S. population continues to rise. In Honoring Dependent Parents: Biblical Decision-Making for Adult Children, Bill Davis, professor of philosophy at Covenant College, offers wise advice for fulfilling the fifth commandment for aging parents in a world that doesn’t value dependency. He covers issues that range from dealing with financial challenges to coping with changing personalities to forgiving past abuse. The result is a book that provides helpful principles for navigating elder care. Davis challenges readers in many areas without binding the conscience on disputable matters. Tell the Right Story True obedience always begins with the heart. It’s not enough for us to go through the motions of honoring our parents; that honor needs to flow from our attitude toward them. It’s not enough for us to go through the motions of honoring our parents; that honor needs to flow from our attitude toward them. Davis identifies several common narratives that adult children adopt toward caring for their parents. The additional responsibility of caring for an aging relative, which often falls on adult children during the years they’re raising their own children, can make people bitter toward the circumstances or the elderly parent who needs care. But feelings of victimization won’t lead to honor for dependent parents. Yet bitterness isn’t the only dangerous cultural narrative. It’s common in our culture for adult children to speak of “parenting their parents” as if the roles have reversed. Davis argues that the “parent-as-child” story is “tempting because it makes love the central motivation, and adult children who seek to honor their parents are typically motivated by love” (24). However, the “parent-as-child” narrative fails to capture the true nature of the changing relationship. For example, a mother has the responsibility to discipline a toddler but not her aging father. And a son has no right to assert his preferences (however efficient or seemingly noble) above what he clearly knows his elderly mother would have chosen when she still had all her faculties. Instead, Davis argues, adult children need to keep the gospel story in mind as they care for dependent parents. Caring for needy parents is a way of serving Jesus and should be done in an attempt to push back the effects of sin while fulfilling God’s command to honor a parent who, by our world’s standards, may not seem worthy of honor. Honor the Best Version Cultural expectations vary with regard to what honoring parents looks like. I went to seminary with a middle-aged man who returned to his home country halfway through the semester because his parents requested it. There was no pressing need, but in his mind, honoring his parents meant immediate obedience no matter the cost. There’s a healthy instinct in that response, which is much more common in traditional cultures, but it doesn’t take into account the way sin can distort people’s desires. Parents are sinful humans too. Sometimes their desires are contrary to God’s calling on their children’s lives. Jesus made it clear that gospel obedience sometimes requires leaving family obligations behind (Luke 9:59–62). Davis makes it clear that the command to honor our parents doesn’t require children to submit to abuse. He tells one woman with a sharp-tongued mother, “Honoring your mother does not obligate you to be her punching bag” (107). But abuse isn’t the only grounds for not complying with a aging parent’s desires. For example, he argues that it’s OK to tell your aging parent that you aren’t financially able to pay for multiple streaming services so he can watch every sporting event he desires. The command to honor our parents doesn’t require children to submit to abuse. Sometimes the effects of sin are due not to our loved one’s desires but to the ravages of the fall. When a parent’s personality changes due to dementia or normal cognitive decline, we aren’t honoring her when we take her desires at face value. Instead, Davis argues, we should seek to honor the best version of our parents. Should we tell a father with dementia that his wife has died, putting him through a cycle of grief again? The amount of truth we provide in that situation should depend on what we know of our parent. Davis argues, “You can honor him by reviewing what he taught you about how to use words in your relationships with others” (112). A true but incomplete answer to a persistent question may be the best way to a lonely father. How can you make a medical decision for someone without an advance medical directive? Caregivers should seek “an outcome that he would have sought when he was thinking clearly” (129). The goal is to honor dependent parents by doing what would have most closely aligned with their desires when they were at their best. Navigate Ambiguity Other than affirming our obligation to honor our parents, there are no absolutes in Honoring Dependent Parents. In some cases, as with his openness to using AI companions for the elderly, I think there’s a need for further ethical consideration. However, Davis has served the church by applying biblical principles to a wide range of real case studies. As much as we like to have black-and-white rules for faithful living, honoring dependent parents comes with a lot of ambiguity. As Davis notes, “The Bible doesn’t give a formula. Walking in a manner worthy of the gospel requires wisdom, and wisdom requires spiritual discernment” (154). He frequently reminds caregivers to seek counsel from Scripture and from the leaders in their local church as they navigate new and ever-changing responsibilities. As a pastor, I want to help members of my church make faithful decisions. The number of adults caring for an aging relative has grown significantly in recent decades. I regularly recommend books like Ben Mitchell’s Bioethics and Medicine, Whitney Pipkin’s We Shall All Be Changed, Karen Martin’s Memorable Loss, and Kathryn Butler’s Between Life and Death for those confronting end-of-life issues. Honoring Dependent Parents should become a standard resource for Christians learning to care for the parents who can no longer take care of themselves.

Discover how spiritual neglect can lead even a faithful nation astray, mirroring ancient Israel's drift from divine law. Explore a timely reflection on personal and societal decline, urging a return to righteousness and faith.

I’ll admit, sometimes it is easier to let people walk all over me than it is to stand up for myself.

Why Do Famous Christian Prayers Last for Generations?Famous Christian prayers last for generations because they help believers bring their needs before God. These prayers endure because they give believers words for surrender, trust, repentance, peace, worship, and dependence on God when our own words feel too small. How does a prayer last decades, centuries even? What makes a needy soul return again and again to words written so long ago? What could they possibly say to us today? Beyond scripture itself, some of life’s most tightly held words are words from old prayers. Many of these historic Christian prayers have endured because they give believers language for worship, surrender, peace, repentance, and trust. These supplications, declarations, and heartfelt intentions resonate deep within a soul and, seemingly, louder in heaven. Why? We will investigate these points.Why Does Prayer Matter in the Christian Life?Prayer matters because Jesus taught His followers to pray, Scripture commands believers to keep praying, and God uses prayer to shape our hearts and circumstances. However, before we do, let’s set a basis for prayer. Clearly, prayer moves mountains (Mt. 17:20). Jesus instructed us to pray (Lu. 11:1-13). Scripture tells us to keep asking, to the point we are persistent about it (Lu 18:1-8). We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16-18). For one who has nothing left to do, prayer always remains the thing to do.Indeed, God is absolutely sovereign – yet, so is the truth that prayer is extremely effective. It should never be abandoned. Nor should a new theology be adopted before God, who is very patient, has a chance to answer. An important point to remember is that we serve a God who hears, equips, calls, answers, and understands. His timing is perfect.Prayers bridge the gap between what is and what isn’t, yet. Prayer changes us as God changes our situations. Prayer reorients our lenses just as much as it provides solutions. Some of the most famous prayers endure because they teach us how to surrender control, trust God’s timing, and bring our needs honestly before Him. Prayer refocuses our intentions, motivations, and passions. It aligns us with the Word of God as we agree with God’s Word.What Are 10 Well-Known Christian Prayers?These famous Christian prayers remain meaningful because they teach believers how to seek peace, trust God, surrender control, serve others, and remain close to Christ. Some well-known Christian prayers are remembered because they give anxious hearts words for peace, acceptance, courage, and wisdom. According to ConnectUs, these are the top ten “most famous prayers of all time”.Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Thomas Vitali