Every Generation Is Strategic

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Monday, November 12, 2012

Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
- Luke 10:2

Billy Graham said, "The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is crucial; every generation is strategic. But we are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear full responsibility for the next one. However, we have our generation! God will hold us responsible. . . ."

We see this principle at work all the way back to the book of Acts, where the baton was passed by Peter and Paul to the next generation, who passed it to the next, who passed it to the next, and so forth.

Jesus has commissioned us to go and make disciples of all the nations (see Matthew 28:18–20). But here is the problem: the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Many times, instead of being out in the field, the laborers are asleep. Proverbs 10:5 says, "He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." This certainly applies to going out and harvesting crops and being a hard worker, but in principle, we can apply it to harvesting souls as well.

Sometimes one of the reasons we are sleeping in harvest is because we are well-fed. We are focused on the next meal, the next Bible study, the next message. We are always taking in, but we think very little of giving out. If we live that way, then we run the danger of ending up spiritually obese.

We have our generation to reach, but let's personalize that. You have your sphere of influence: your circle of friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, and your family.

So here is my question for you: Are you a wise son or daughter who is out in the field? Or, are you sleeping during the harvest?