There really is a time to fight!

2 Samuel 23:13 (NIV)
During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

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Last night while reading the above verse the phrase “During harvest time…” leaped off the page to me.

There really is a time to fight.

There are so many angry people in our world today. It seems that all we can do is shout at each other (or worse!). I get so weary of it. When will the promise that we will beat our swords into plow sheers ever come!?

But there truly is a time to take a stand and fight. That time is during harvest time.

The harvest must be protected.

It the enemy destroys or takes the harvest, come winter the people will perish.

Come harvest time and all other priorities and pursuits are tabled. The window for reaping the harvest is narrow; wherever needs to be done, is done in order to protect and gather the harvest—even fighting.

Harvest time is why you did all the work. Harvest time is the fruit of your labor. Harvest time is what makes it all worthwhile. Harvest time is what gives you a future.

Harvest time is those few short years when your children with you at home. That’s the time to pass on the faith, to instill values that will last a lifetime, and to shape and send them toward their God-called destiny. You’ve gotta fight for that harvest, it only comes once in your life.

Harvest time is when you hold your grandchild for the first time and look into their eyes. They don’t know who you are, but their name and face are imprinted on your heart for eternity and if you listen closely you’ll hear God saying, “It’s harvest time.”

Or in another arena of life: Harvest time is when that person you’ve worked with for so many weeks and months, who has spurned your advances at sharing your faith, looks at you with tears in their eyes and says, “Would you pray for…”

Harvest time can mean different things at different times—but one thing is always true: The harvest is always worth fighting for, for if you lose the harvest you’ve worked in vain.

• The ONE THING for today: Pick your fights carefully, but don’t lose the harvest.

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2 Samuel 23:11-12 (NIV)
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.