Luke 10:2 - The Harvest is White but Labourers Few

As I was in prayer this morning, I started to meditate on this verse "the harvest is white but the labourers are few". A verse that many would be familiar with and I am sure would accept as true. Especially in recent times, the concept of evangelism has become something seen as the activity of a few and in that those whom we might call professionals or paid workers. Yet this I believe was never God's initial intention. But rather that all those belonging to His Kingdom would be actively engaging in the harvesting of the world.

What is it though that harvesting is all about, is it something that only those few who have been trained and set apart for such work can carry out or is something more that every believer is both able and capable of doing? The short answer to this is in the latter and the example we have in scripture is of cause that of Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 who after being filled with the Spirit stepped forward to speak the word to those he encountered on the street. Four amazing words in this chapter continue to amaze me today, "then Peter stepped forward". Though unremarkable to read, these four words describe the incredible change that Peter had experienced by the power of God's Holy Spirit coming upon him. As a result of this power, Peter stepped forward and over 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom on that day.

In light of this, it begs the question why more of us don't rely on the power of God's Spirit to do the work of the harvest He has called everyone to. When we examine the concept of harvest from days gone by, it is easy to understand why the disciples who were fully aware of the work involved in harvesting and what would be expected of them. Today those concepts and understandings are somewhat lost as todays generations hop down to the supermarket to collect their foods which are bagged up and ready to consume. Yet in Jesus' time this was not the case, to eat bread required that one would pick or buy the wheat in it's raw and unprocessed form, grind and mill it to flour and spend the time preparing it for baking. In the same way harvesting the fish of the sea came with similar toil. Yet in our generation we have lost the concept of toil and hard work to gain the result of the harvest that we so eagerly desire.

I believe it is often expected that the harvest comes to us, packaged and clean and ready for consumption, so to speak... Yet if we have ever been involved in harvesting souls from the earth for the Kingdom of God this is often not the case. Coming often very unclean and dirty and needing lots of support and help to grasp God's ways and Kingdom principals. This really is what the harvest is all about. Taking us out of our comfort zones and from being focussed on ourselves and our own needs to focusing on those around us and fulfilling the great commission as set before us by our Lord in Matthew 28.

The harvest continues to be white or ready for harvesting, the question is will we of this generation being willing to sacrifice our comforts and time for the lost and dying world around us. This includes the multitudes of unbelievers who are coming to our shores every day as immigrants. Understanding that it does not require learning but rather a willingness and open heart to receive power from the Holy Spirit to accomplish the task set before us.