“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.–Galatians 6:7

Have you ever been caught speeding by a police radar? Many people have, and they have Sir Robert Watson-Watt to thank for the invention of radar. While radar had been experimented with earlier, Watson-Watt is credited with refining radar technology and finding productive uses for the new discovery. During World War I, England faced a problem. German zeppelins or bombers could conduct bombing raids on English towns with no fear of repercussion because they could reach their nearest base twenty minutes away before English fighters could reach a cruising altitude in pursuit. Also, English surface to air defenses were weak and unreliable. As England sought to rectify this problem, Germany announced the development of a “death-ray” that could annihilate groups of soldiers, citizens, or whole towns at one time. Panicky, English leaders approached Robert Watson-Watt and sought a similar type of weapon. Out of his sketches was born radar.

What’s ironic to note is that despite the great invention of radar and the many systems and machines that employ it today, the police radar is what has caused Watson-Watt the most problems. You see, years after his invention, Watson-Watt was caught speeding by a radar trap and was issued a ticket. As a result, he penned the following poem about the incident:

Pity Sir Robert Watson-Watt,
strange target of this radar plot
And thus, with others I can mention,
the victim of his own invention.
His magical all-seeing eye
enabled cloud-bound planes to fly
but not by some ironic twist
it spots the speeding motorist
and bites, no doubt with legal wit,
the hand that once created it.

Sir Robert’s comment to the police officer who stopped him was, “Had I known what you were going to do with it, I would never have invented it!” While this is a humorous example of someone’s previous actions coming back to hurt them, the law of sowing and reaping is a very real principle taught in Galatians 6.

God teaches that what you do now will one day be reaped. Every choice you make, influence you allow in your life, or path you take will one day come back to you. Some people will choose to do wrong now and not receive consequences, but God promises that what is sown now will later be reaped.

However, not all reaping is sorrowful! Daily making right decisions, choosing to follow God, and sowing righteousness will reap a life of fruitful service for God. The decisions you face may not seem like a big deal, but God shows that each decision comes with consequences-good or bad; your choice determines the outcome.

What are you sowing right now? Are you daily choosing to follow and obey God? Or have you brushed off decisions and viewed them as unimportant? God desires that you would daily sow righteousness so that one day you can reap a bountiful harvest of blessings.(From Turning Point)