Did Abraham Reap What Was Sown?

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

You reap what you sow. That’s a principle that is a very clear part of Biblical teaching. Yes, believers are the beneficiaries of God’s mercy and grace but that does not change the fact that what a person sows, that person will eventually reap. Now I don’t believe we escape this principle just because we are Christians. In fact I believe that even Abraham was subject to this law. Let’s take a look at one example that answers the question: Did Abraham reap that which he had sown?

To find the answer let’s join Abraham on a little trip to Egypt in Genesis 12:10-20. The Bible tells us that Abram (as he was still called at that point) went to Egypt because there was a severe famine. Apparently he thought his prospects would be better in Egypt then would be if he continued his journey south in the general direction of the Negev. As he approached Egypt he asked a big favor of his wife Sarai, who was so attractive that Abram feared someone might kill him in order to take her. So, to protect his own skin he asked Sarai to say that she was his sister and not his wife. In doing so he left Sarai doing the heavy work of pulling off his lie in order to make him more comfortable among the Egyptians.

Their little plot seemed to backfire when Pharaoh had Sarai brought into his house with plans to eventually make her his wife. Abram received a handsome sum in return for his “sister” but the entire situation seems like one that would be painfully uncomfortable on a number of levels. But even with what Abram gained in goods and in staying alive, this is a case where material gain might not be a sign that Abram had done the right thing.

If you think about it, Abram concocted his lie out of fear and even though the Bible does not say whether or not he was right, we do know that fear is not considered a good justification for doing the wrong thing. In fact we are told that God does not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) and Abram’s actions do not seem to come from a sound mind nor from a position of power nor from a position of love. I’d argue that a believer of sound mind would have (or at least should have) run to God for direction before coming up with a lie and that the fact that it was a lie indicates that it was anything but God’s will for the situation. So, even though it worked and resulted in great rewards, I just don’t think this was God’s plan for Abram or for Sarai.

In the end God intervenes, leading Pharoah to give Sarai back and to kick Abram out of Egypt with all his positions (new and old). Abram does not lose his wife nor does he lose his life. God kept Pharoah from making a huge mistake while at the same time protecting Sarai from the damage that could have been caused by her husband’s lie. It seems as if all’s well that ends well with Abram and Sarai moving on to the next stop in their journey.

So did Abram reap that which he had sown? After all he had sown a lie and it seems as if he had reaped abundantly, receiving many good things. He took with him all that Pharaoh had given, including sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys and servants. I’m guessing that list also included an Egyptian servant girl by the name of Hagar who later, after another of Abraham’s and Sarah’s great ideas, would become a major problem for the patriarch and his wife.

Abraham could not have foreseen the issues he would have with Hagar when he was looking for ways to protect his own hide. In the same way, we cannot see what will come when we choose to sin against our God. Yes, those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will avoid the ultimate punishment that follows sin but we still reap what we sow. So, what kind of harvest will come from what you have sown?