When the leaves wither and fall to the ground each year, so do the seeds that contain the power and promise for new life. In the same way, God uses the things that fail, frustrate, and disappoint us in the present as seed for the eternal future he has planned for us. This week we see how those who are judged sow death and harvest life. No matter how much we might like a world free of judgment, we live in a world full of judgment. That leaves us with two options: either we try to establish innocence on our own here and now or we let our innocence remain hidden with Christ until the last day. Though entrusting our judgment to God’s Son looks and feels like death, it carries the guarantee of resurrection and life. Just as Jesus sowed death and harvested life, so too will all who hear and listen to his voice.