The annual sowing season has arrived once again. In my hometown, a village located in the Central Plains of China and recognized as one of the country’s granaries, every household owns land and engages in planting and harvesting at the appropriate times. The livelihood of each family depends on selling their harvest at the market. As the senior villagers often say, a year with favorable weather ensures that everyone in the family have enough to eat, while a year with unfavorable conditions results in a year of dashed hope.

Photo by Tim Krauss on Unsplash

Last autumn, during China’s National Day holiday, I returned home. To my surprise, the village did not exhibit the joyful scenes of harvest that I had expected. There were neither rumbling harvest machines nor boisterous crowds helping one another reap their crops. At a time that should have been the busiest of the year due to the harvest, an unusual tranquility took its place. According to a neighbor living in the village, “It’s not a year of abundant harvest. Heavy rainfalls flooded the fields, and the surviving crops are in poor condition. We sowed but reaped nothing...”

It is generally believed that harvesting in the autumn with overflowing granaries come naturally if farmers follow the crop calendar to plant, and the land receives adequate sunshine and rainfall, as well as proper management and care. However, unexpected rainfalls and floods reduced crop yields in several areas, with some fields failing to produce a single grain. Complaints from the farmers were widespread throughout the village.

Zeng Baosun, the renown educator and theological thinker, discussed the concept of “struggling” in her book “Textbook of Experimental Religious Studies”. She argued that individuals might not always reap success through their struggles. Some face failure despite their efforts. However, it is the authenticity of the struggle and an attitude of optimism that we should value. Just as Jesus’ struggle on the cross appeared as a failure to many, but the salvation for humanity turns out to be a profound success. Isn’t this the essence of “a time for everything”? “A time for everything” is not about stubbornly pursuing a specific result or answer, but about viewing issues dialectically from a different perspective, which can lead to unexpected results. Those who obsess over proving a direct correlation between effort and reward only burden themselves with meaningless concerns.

“A time for everything” contains profound wisdom and universal love. The wisdom of understanding human nature and the universe, fosters mercy, acceptance, and forgiveness, rather than delivering a final judgement without offering a chance for repentance and renewal. The New Testament recounts a story where Jesus was challenged by the scribes and the Pharisees about whether an adulterous woman should be stoned to death. Jesus did not deny the woman’s sin, nor did Him approve the death penalty. Instead, in response to their accusation, Jesus said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) To the woman, Jesus offered forgiveness and acceptance, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)

Author: Yang Yingying

Translator: Bei Feng