Becoming Laborers in the Harvest: Sharing the Joy That Transforms

Before we can share anything with others, we must first possess it ourselves. This is a fundamental truth that applies to every aspect of our spiritual lives, but especially to joy. You cannot give away what you don't have. You cannot share a treasure you've never discovered.

Our joy begins with understanding who we are in Jesus. In Psalm 100 it states that God has made us—we did not make ourselves. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. When we truly grasp this identity, when we understand that the Creator of the universe has fashioned us with purpose and claimed us as His own, joy becomes not just an emotion but a state of being.

This joy isn't dependent on circumstances. It's rooted in the unshakeable truth that we belong to God, that His mercy is everlasting, and that His truth endures to all generations—past, present, and future. Seven generations forward, His faithfulness remains constant.

Once we've discovered joy through knowing who we are, we're called to share it. Psalm 100 instructs us to serve the Lord with gladness, to come before His presence with singing. This isn't a burdensome obligation but a joyful privilege.

Serving God means becoming laborers in His harvest field. And what does this harvest look like? It's our families, our friends, our communities—everyone God places in our path who needs to experience His transforming love.

The book of Hebrews gives us a beautiful blueprint for what it means to be effective laborers:

• We must love one another. In John 13, Jesus gave a new commandment: love each other in the same way He loved us. The world will know we are His disciples by our love. The love we've experienced should be the love we extend.

• We must be hospitable. Are we welcoming and approachable? Or do we avoid conversations and hide when we see people in need? Hebrews 13 reminds us not to forget to show hospitality, for some have entertained angels without knowing it.

• We must show compassion. The world is hurting. Our families, friends, and communities are lost and broken. Do we see them as Jesus sees them—with compassion and a desire to help transform their lives?

• We must work as teams. God puts marriages and partnerships together so that two can become one, laboring together to fulfill His purpose. We cannot move forward if we're not all going in the same direction.

One of the greatest hindrances to being effective laborers is the love of money, which is rooted in fear—fear of losing what we have, fear of not having enough. This poverty mindset keeps us trapped and unable to give freely.

But when we know where our provision truly comes from, we can give with confidence. Philippians 4:11-13 reveals the secret: contentment in every situation, knowing that we can do all things through Jesus who strengthens us. The Lord is our helper, and we need not be afraid of what mortals can do to us.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. What we speak matters tremendously. To speak life is to speak God's perspective on any issue. To speak death is to constantly declare life's negatives, to announce defeat, to complain continuously.

What have we planted in our hearts? If we examine what we're speaking daily, we'll discover what seeds have taken root within us. Are we planting God's Word and truth, or are we planting lies and worldly perspectives?

Like a plant that bears fruit from the seeds sown, the Holy Spirit brings forth worship and truth from our lips based on what we've planted in our hearts. When we plant His Word, truth will flow from our mouths.

Isaiah 61 declares that the Spirit of the Almighty Lord is upon us because He has anointed us to deliver good news to humble people. We're sent to heal the brokenhearted, to announce that captives will be set free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Whatever God has done for us, we must share it. Whatever breakthrough, healing, or restoration we experienced in the last season becomes the testimony we share in this season. Our transformed lives are living letters of recommendation that God is real and still working today.

Luke 15 illustrates this beautifully through three parables. When a shepherd finds his lost sheep, he rejoices and calls his friends to celebrate. When a woman finds her lost coin, she gathers her neighbors to share her joy. When the prodigal son returns home, there's a great celebration.

The message is clear: there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine who need no repentance. Our families have lost sheep. Are we showing enough love to find them and bring them in? And when we do, are we rejoicing and sharing the good news of a life found, restored, and transformed?

Psalm 78 charges us with a responsibility: we must not hide God's works from our children. We must tell the next generation about the Lord's power, His great deeds, and the miraculous things He has done.

This is how we ensure the Lord's legacy continues. We plant, we grow, and we share. Like a pineapple that produces sweet fruit—when we enjoy that fruit and plant the top, more will grow. Someone else can then enjoy the harvest.

What we know about the Lord, what we've experienced with Him—will it end with us? Or will we plant seeds in people's lives, sharing what God has done so that His power continues to multiply throughout our communities?

The harvest is here. Like coffee trees beginning to flower—a sign that harvest is coming—our families, friends, and communities are showing signs they're ready. They're asking questions, seeking answers, looking for something more.

The question isn't whether the harvest is ready. The question is: will we be ready? Will we be the laborers the Lord needs? Will we share the joy, the testimonies, the transformation we've experienced?

Heaven rejoices over every life transformed. Every person who comes to know Jesus, every believer who rolls off their burdens and begins to trust God more deeply—these bring joy to the Lord.

What is God asking you to do to bring Him joy in this season of harvest? The answer to that question might just change everything—not only for you, but for everyone God has placed in your path.

The harvest is ready. The laborers are needed. The joy is waiting to be shared.