This episode is an overview of Biblical spiritual growth based on Hosea 10:11-14. Substantive spiritual growth that endures temptation and the natural ups and downs of life is a thorough work that mirrors the agricultural process of sewing, reaping, and threshing. Many Christians unfortunately adopt a "get-spiritual-quick" mentality towards spiritual growth and emphasize the final stage of threshing without doing the hard work of "sewing with a view to righteousness." "Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh." (Hosea 10:11) The answer to superficial spirituality, according to the rest of the passage, is seeking the Lord by receiving the yoke. (see Matthew 11:28-30. Taking the yoke makes "sewing with a view to righteousness" a priority, understanding that reaping takes time as real transformation is God-directed. The episode highlights that subsequent reaping (looking more like Christ) is a mercy from God, based on his covenant loyalty. Significantly, genuine spiritual growth is a lengthy process in which believers take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and plant new seeds based on God's Word. Spiritual growth consequently takes time and is God-directed, as the Holy Spirit conforms us into the image of Christ.