Sowing and reaping positives

By Lavern Nissley

Just this morning I ran into a friend who was beginning The Love Dare, a 40 day Christian devotional written by Alex and Stephen Kendrick to strengthen marriages. You might recognize The Love Dare from the 2008 film Fireproof.

With a big smile on his face my friend told me it was Day 1 with the resolution "to say nothing negative to your spouse today at all." I could see that he was excited and personally affected in a positive way. And it was only Day 1!

Even children understand the process of sowing and reaping. That in order to reap corn, one must plant corn. The same for everything, it seems, except weeds, which pretty much grow on their own.

You would think me agriculturally challenged if you saw me looking at a plot of ground saying, "I want strawberries! Where are my strawberries?" -- but then learned that I had never even planted strawberries!

The Five Love Languages, a best-selling book by Dr. Gary Chapman, provides a life-long paradigm of making "love tank deposits" into those around you. A word of affirmation here, an act of service there, some quality time, an appropriate touch, or a gift are all examples of sowing positives. We are virtually assured of reaping positives from such investments.

My wife, Ronda, has expressed appreciation to me for the daily "love tank deposit" of a fresh cup of coffee every morning. While it's not the only deposit I make into her love tank, it's the first every day and well worth the few minutes of effort expended.

What are some positives you could sow today?

Top image courtesy of amenic181 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net