By Clyde Northrop

She lived in my neighborhood as a child, and as was the custom in those wonderful days, we played games with the other children out doors, often having so much fun that we took advantage of the last rays of the setting sun.

I remember fondly a day when she invited me to go blackberry picking with her and I found her to be a much better reaper than was I.

Could have been she was intent on reaping and I was intent on eating.

When my dad’s youngest brother came to town they met, fell in love, and she became his wife.

These many years later we are still friends and both live in Covington County.

She came to our home this past week to gather figs.

She had me tip her off as to when they would be ready to reap.

She fascinated me with her claim to really enjoy reaping.

She can still fill her basket much faster than I can fill mine.

There is good evidence that Jesus enjoyed figs in His days on earth.

The Bible even reports that he was disappointed as he passed a fig tree and found no fruit ready to eat. Fruit was not all that Jesus enjoyed gathering.

He even enjoyed catching, cleaning and cooking fish.

Seems to me that his greatest joy was gathering people.

He had no trouble attracting crowds of curious listeners.

He let us know his greatest passion when he sent his disciples out by twos as he trained them to become “fishers of men.”

As a military chaplain I had opportunities to bring people to Jesus and Jesus to people.

I recognize that much of what I reaped was sown by someone else.

A mother or dad, a home church Sunday School teacher, a dedicated pastor or even a friend.

When I was at Fort Rucker I remember two beautiful sisters in their early 20s who came to me “out of the blue” asking for immersion in the waters of baptism.

Over and again individuals came wanting to take Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

It was often evident that they had been influenced by others in their younger years.

Are you planting seed for Jesus? Are you also helping with the harvest?