Reap What You Sow
“You reap what you sow” means that there is an effect for everything people do or say, and that the effort a person puts into something will be rewarded appropriately in this life or the next. People use this phrase as a reminder to be kind and work hard. Although the phrase might have roots in early Christianity, it appears in some form in other religions and also can be applied in non-religious situations. Seeing bad people succeed sometimes makes people who follow this general doctrine have emotional, social or spiritual crises, so societies usually try to provide some sort of explanation as to why good people don’t always prosper.
Main Principle
The general idea behind "you reap what you sow" is that actions will have consequences. The effects of a person’s behaviors are not necessarily apparent right away, such as when a farmer has to wait a while for a crop to mature. Nevertheless, they show up eventually.
Application and Purpose
People usually apply the reaping concept as a means of directing general living and working. The purpose is to encourage positive behavior and discourage negative activity, or to get a specific result. In this way, it serves as a means to move a person toward the thoughts and actions that are culturally accepted as being constructive, ethical and moral.
The idea behind “you reap what you sow” is ancient and therefore has origins that are difficult to track, but one possible starting point is with early Christians. The phrase appears as “whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall also reap” in the King James Version of the New Testament. Specifically, the quote is found in Galatians 6:7-9, a book made up of letters written by Paul, a disciple of Christ. Galatia was a region located in what is now Turkey. Paul’s letters addressed Christian communities in Galatia, providing advice on how to live for God.
Given the context of Paul’s letters, one explanation for why he said this phrase to the Galatians was because he wanted them
Main Principle
The general idea behind "you reap what you sow" is that actions will have consequences. The effects of a person’s behaviors are not necessarily apparent right away, such as when a farmer has to wait a while for a crop to mature. Nevertheless, they show up eventually.
Application and Purpose
People usually apply the reaping concept as a means of directing general living and working. The purpose is to encourage positive behavior and discourage negative activity, or to get a specific result. In this way, it serves as a means to move a person toward the thoughts and actions that are culturally accepted as being constructive, ethical and moral.
The idea behind “you reap what you sow” is ancient and therefore has origins that are difficult to track, but one possible starting point is with early Christians. The phrase appears as “whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall also reap” in the King James Version of the New Testament. Specifically, the quote is found in Galatians 6:7-9, a book made up of letters written by Paul, a disciple of Christ. Galatia was a region located in what is now Turkey. Paul’s letters addressed Christian communities in Galatia, providing advice on how to live for God.
Given the context of Paul’s letters, one explanation for why he said this phrase to the Galatians was because he wanted them