In 2022, I learned how to embroider. With a gift of embroidery floss from a friend and some handy Pinterest tutorials, I was off. You can find some of my first sampler pieces here, as well as my tithe-work.
This work was a hem design I chose for a pleated green dress I made, in a slightly vintage style. The dress has a v-neck so I decided to emulate this in the overlapped chevrons. The linen color is weight 2 cotton floss, the yellow is weight 3 silk, the brown is weight 2 silk.
The hem design is 3 inches tall, all the way around the skirt. This was my first large embroidery project and took me quite some time. It's an excellent teaching in patience, as there are hundreds of little stitches that only I can do. The dress is only complete until the end, when the embroidery is finished.
The Bible illustrates this concept in Galatians. We often hear of being patient and waiting on God, but what if we must be patient in the works of our own hands?
"So let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up." (Galatians 6:9 TLV)
The Apostle Paul here is speaking of the works of our hands. There's another famous verse in this section, "or whatever a man sows, that he also shall reap" (v. 7). Paul is encouraging the believers to do good and share the good message, with the promise of a hearty reward. However, it brings along a warning for those who thwart the kingdom of God. If they sow from their flesh, not of the Spirit, then they will receive the fulfillment of the flesh: corruption, as flesh decays. However, when we sow in the Spirit, we receive the fulfillment of the Spirit, which is everlasting life and abundant blessings (v. 8).
The key here is that from our sowing (or sewing), we reap. We have to be patient and keep on spreading our seeds, long before we start to see any sprouts. If we stop halfway, only half of our field will be planted. Only half of all that needed to hear the Good News will receive it. A half-planted field cannot sustain through winter, and the half who did not hear will have to look elsewhere for salvation. A half-embroidered dress is a terrible fashion choice.
Embroidering the hem of the skirt took a long while for me, a novice embroiderer. In the middle of it, I would have to encourage myself to imagine the fulfillment of all of my work, the harvest of what I was sowing. This would be the embroidered dress, ready to wear.
In the same way, if we ever feel discouraged in doing good and spreading the Gospel, we should remind ourselves of the magnificent harvest ahead of us. Our patience will be duly rewarded. As we sowed the kingdom of God, we shall reap His kingdom blessings.