Galatians 6  Paul has been talking about walking in the Spirit instead of in the flesh... living lives with spiritual values, thoughts, actions etc.  Instead of boasting and arguing and biting one another, we should "bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ" - the law of love.   We do this by restoring those who fall into sin; by sharing our material goods with those who are in need; and by "doing good to all men" whenever we have the opportunity.

Those who were pushing the Christians to be circumcised had fleshly motivations to do so.. it made them look good.  They could boast about their conquests!  Paul says, " But may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world had been crucified to me and I to the world." ( v14).

We sow what we reap, Paul teaches.  If we sow "to (our) own flesh"  we will reap "corruption".  The flesh - the mortal, corruptible, perishable body, (meat) - will die and decay and return to the dust one day.   If all our focus and energy in this life is for the purpose of satisfying  our physical bodies, it is all for nothing.  When the last breath is breathed and the heart beats its last beat - there is nothing left.

But if we sow to the Spirit - if our focus and energy, our resources and gifts, are sowed into spiritual purposes - then the result will be eternal life, a harvest of peace and grace.

"Examine (your) own work", Paul writes.  What am I sowing?  Do I spend my time, energy, money, on the things that have no meaning?  Does my life revolve around ways that  I can make myself feel good, look good, and seem better than others?  Is it all about me?  Do I boast about what I have done or have?  Then, I am sowing to the flesh, and that will rot just like the meat that sits out in the open, and boy, does that stink!  

Or have I been crucified to the world and the world to me?  Have I laid down my life and taken up my cross to follow Jesus?  Does He get my time, my energy, my money, my life... it's all His really, but do I acknowledge that?  What does that look like in real life?  When I examine my own work, do I see - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control growing?   Am I restoring those who have failed?  Bearing other's burdens? Sharing with those who teach the Word? Doing good to all men?

"And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them... "   Peace - fullness, completion, rest, reconciliation with God; mercy - compassion and tenderness. What we need and what the world is greatly lacking... is ours in Jesus Christ!

Father in heaven, Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord of peace, bless Your holy Name.  Thank you for saving us and making us Your own. Come Lord Jesus and draw us to Yourself, fill us with Your Spirit, that we might walk in Your ways. Open our eyes to see Your perfect will,  to see ourselves truthfully, to examine our lives by Your Light and to turn from those things that keep us from Your full peace and rest.  We ask this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.