“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 11:11).

I read the first part of that verse and wondered as I have before: What good have I done for my community?

OK. I’m a good neighbor. I’m a law-abiding citizen. I don’t litter. So I do make some positive contributions to the community.

But it seems I should be doing more.

How can I bless my community and make it better?

We live in the country, by the way, and have no right-next-door neighbors.

I wonder what answers God will show me.

Yeah, I know. I need to make every season count. And I need to make every season of my life count, too.

But I’m thinking of summer right now because it’s summer, and because I just read this verse:

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Proverbs 10:5).

Not just any kind of gathering will do, of course:

“The labour of the righteous tendeth to life” (Proverbs 10:16).

And what about what Jesus said?

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35).

Let me not sleep, but gather…the right harvest!