One of the realities of life is that we are often much better at noticing what is wrong than noticing what is right.
We can live in a warm and comfortable home and complain about the room that needs decorating. We can have a fridge full of food and still wonder what there is to eat. We can have plenty of clothes and still think we have nothing suitable to wear. We can have lots of good things happening in our lives and yet spend a surprising amount of time worrying about the things that aren't going quite as we would like them to.
Perhaps that is one reason why Harvest is such a valuable occasion. For one Sunday in the year, we are encouraged to stop and notice the things we often take for granted.
Whether or not we have brought gifts today, Harvest reminds us that food does not simply appear on supermarket shelves. Behind every meal are farmers and growers, people who transport food, process it and sell it. Behind all of that is the remarkable world God has created, with its soil and rain and sunshine and seasons.
Harvest gives us an opportunity to stop and say thank you.
That is certainly what we see in our reading from Deuteronomy (28:1-14), where Moses speaks about the blessings God gives to his people. There is the fruit, the livestock, the rain, the barns, the work people do, and all the ordinary things that make life possible.
There is a sense throughout that these things are gifts from God.
That is important to remember because it is very easy to imagine that everything we have is simply the result of our own efforts. We work hard, we earn money, and we buy the things we need. There is truth in that. But there is also much that lies beyond our control.
We do not make the rain fall. We do not make the sun shine. We certainly do not make a seed grow simply because we have put it in the ground.
There is something else involved, and that something else is God.
Harvest reminds us that we are not entirely self-sufficient people, however much modern life sometimes encourages us to think that we are.
That brings us naturally to our Gospel reading (Luke 12:16-30), where Jesus tells the story of a man who has had an exceptionally successful harvest.
The man's land has produced so much that he does not have enough room to store everything. He decides to pull down his barns and build bigger ones. On the face of it, that seems perfectly sensible.
The problem comes in what follows.
He says to himself that he has enough stored away for many years and can now relax, eat, drink and enjoy himself.
What is striking is that there is no mention of anyone else. There is no thought for those in need, no thought of sharing, and no thought of God.
Everything revolves around himself.
Jesus does not call him a fool because he has been successful. He is not a fool because he has worked hard or planned for the future. The problem is that he has forgotten God, and he has forgotten that what he has been given may be intended for something more than his own comfort.
That is a useful thought for Harvest because most of us do not have barns full of grain, but all of us have been given something.
We may have money and possessions, but we also have time, experience, abilities and opportunities. Some people are good at practical tasks, some at listening, some at encouraging others, some at organising things, and some have the gift of simply making people feel welcome.
The question is not really whether we have enough.
The question is what we do with what we have.
That is what Paul is getting at in his second letter to the Corinthians (9:6-15 when he talks about sowing and reaping. The person who sows generously, he says, will reap generously.
Paul is speaking about giving, but the principle reaches far beyond money. God gives to us so that we can give to others.
And he is clear that this should not be done reluctantly or out of guilt. "God loves a cheerful giver."
There is something wonderful about that…. It’s a reminder that generosity is not meant to be a burden. It is a joyful response to the generosity of God. We give because we have first received. And that applies in everything - in our money, our time, our talents…
That is why Harvest still matters so much. Gratitude naturally leads to generosity. What we give may seem small, but small acts often make a remarkable difference when joined together with the kindness of others.
We sometimes think that unless we can do something enormous, there is no point doing anything at all. Yet most of the things that change lives are surprisingly ordinary.
A phone call to someone who is lonely can make a difference. Visiting someone who is unwell can make a difference. Giving somebody a lift can make a difference. Taking time to listen can make a difference. Offering encouragement can make a difference.
God has given us much more than we sometimes realise.
The other thing Jesus speaks about in our Gospel reading is worry. "Do not worry about your life," he says.
That is not always easy advice to follow because human beings can be very good at worrying. We worry about money, family, health and the future. Sometimes we worry about things that have not happened and may never happen.
Jesus does not say that these things do not matter. He knows that people need food and clothing and somewhere to live.
What he says is that these things do not need to become the whole focus of our lives.
He points people towards the birds and the flowers and reminds them that God knows what his creation needs.
Then comes that beautiful phrase: "Your Father knows that you need them.” Perhaps that is the heart of the passage….. God knows.
He knows what we need. He knows what our lives are like. He knows our worries, our hopes and our fears.
That does not mean Christians never face difficulties, nor does it mean that everything will always turn out exactly as we would choose.
But it does mean that we never face life alone.
And that brings us back to what Harvest is really about.
It is not simply a celebration of food, though food is certainly worth celebrating.
It is not simply a celebration of farming, though farmers deserve our gratitude and support.
It is, above all, a celebration of the goodness of God.
We look at the blessings around us and recognise them as gifts. And when we recognise gifts, we naturally begin to think about the giver.
Paul ends his reading with the words, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift."
That takes us beyond the harvest of fields and gardens to the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.
The Christian faith is not simply about trying harder to be good people. It begins with something God has done for us.
God has come to us in Jesus. He has shown us what his love is like. He offers forgiveness, hope and a relationship with him.
And perhaps Harvest can give us a simple challenge for the week ahead.
Each day, perhaps take a moment to notice one thing for which you are thankful and thank God for it.
Then look for one small act of generosity you can offer someone else: a kind word, a helping hand, a message of encouragement, an invitation for a cup of tea, or support for someone who may be struggling.
None of these things is dramatic, but they are exactly the sort of seeds from which God's goodness often grows.
So today let us give thanks…. give thanks for the food we enjoy, for those who produce it, for our families and friends, and for all the ordinary blessings that sustain our lives.
Let us remember those who have less than they need and allow our thanksgiving to become generosity. And above all, let us give thanks for Jesus, God's indescribable gift.
For God's generosity reaches far beyond what we have on our tables or in our cupboards. It reaches into the very heart of our lives.
And as we receive that generosity for ourselves, may we become people who share it with others.
That is a wonderful thing to celebrate at Harvest. Amen.
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