Tip of My Iceberg

My son and his wife own a beautiful winery in south central Pennsylvania. After working in a winery just outside Austin, Texas, for nine years, they had their dream of owning their own winery come true. In a small town in Mifflinberg, Pennsylvania, they opened Union Cellars at the beginning of Covid–the timing wasn’t something they chose. But they’ve worked hard, and this year was their best harvest yet.

I flew up to help them pick grapes.

I’ve never done anything like this. I had visions of “I Love Lucy”, the episode where Lucy and others were squashing grapes with their feet. The thought occurred to me that I might be getting my feet dyed by grape juice.

That’s not how they do it now.

We spent hours picking grapes, avoiding these obnoxious spotted Japanese lantern beetles, who love sap from the trunks of the vines. Ugly things. Stooping over, getting stabbed in the face by thicker branches, brushing away annoying bugs, and nipping my fingers with the sharp clippers used for cutting the grape bunches made it a challenge.

But what a great experience it was.

I clipped the grapes, helped shovel the bunches into the crusher, which not only crushes but also removes the stems, and assisted with cleaning the equipment.

The making of wine is fascinating. I’ve a great appreciation for the product Mark and Jillian produce, but being part of the process made the fruit of their labor even more enjoyable.

It was still work.

Early in Jesus’ ministry, He was traveling around the lower Galilee region, having just finished calling His disciples. He traveled the area, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising the synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead, always proclaiming the good news of the gospel of His forgiveness and grace. He loved these people dearly, even though many rejected and ridiculed Him. Their negative response to His goodness never lessened His compassion for them.

He saw them as helpless, as sheep without a shepherd, not knowing where to go or what was good for them.

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’” Matthew 9:17-18.

Jesus was referring to the need for more people to share the good news of hope that was the gospel. People need to hear that good news, the offer of forgiveness and eternal life. The hope that Jesus came to give us of the full pardon we receive if we accept the payment He chose to make for all the bad things we do. But the process of telling others is a work in progress. David Bly, a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives once said, “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” Jesus freely planted seeds of hope as He saw the number of hurting people, frustrated, despairing, and questioning. His compassion was reflected in His desire that all would hear of His offer of love and forgiveness.

Helping Mark and Jillian with their grape harvest was not only hard work, but it was a labor of love to be able to help my kids. Jesus’ desire for more workers for the harvest reflects His love for us. He wants people to have the opportunity to really know forgiveness.

It was an offer that cost Him dearly.