A Different View

Read the Parable of the Sower this morning. How many times have we heard or thought through this story and felt comfort because we fall into the “Good Soil” people? It is good to be one of those who hears and understands then produces a crop, right? I can’t be one of those other soils. However, a few years ago, I had a great teacher expose a different facet on this gem from Jesus. A gleam of light that caught my eye that night and exposed some other thoughts to ponder.

In Mathew, after the always confusing “He who has ears, let him hear” end of the story, Jesus is quizzed and explains why He speaks in parables. He says that many will not see or hear the secrets being explained. The parable is for those who are receiving the knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven. Aren’t those the Good soil people? Was this story ever intended for the Pathway, the Rocky or the Thorny soil people? Is it perhaps for us because at times we can find all four soils in one life? my life?

How many times does a seed of truth land in that harden place in my heart? The Pathway part that is so worn because I tread there so often? It is that little part of my world where I keep God out. The birds of Satan come often and feed, taking any seeds away. It has become a bare and extremely hard patch that needs to be broken up. Always planning to get this area cleaned up a bit but…

Also I think back to many great messages or teaching that stirred abundant joy sitting in the sanctuary but were gone by the time I opened the door to my car in the parking lot. My Rocky soil does not allow for roots to go very deep sometimes. There is a little good soil on top over here for everyone to see but busyness, forgetfulness, lack of focus, selfishness and pride are huge boulders right under the surface that need to be dug up and moved out. This will be hard work; perhaps I can find a nice day….

Then there are those amazing moments with God that become choked out by the Thorny areas of my life. The soil is not bad here but there are so many other things rooted in this area that draw my energy away. This is where I planned my own seeds. Some of those thorn bushes actually seem pretty on the package but they didn’t come out the way I hoped. They started out as good things but how many are really God things? Need to get in this area and do some cutting, wonder if I need to go buy a chain saw…

How I long for more good soil in my life. It is not a simple task. I doubt any fruitful garden started out with 100% great soil. However, it is time to stop those excuses of “later”. With the help of The Holy Spirit it is time to get to work in these areas. It will not be easy, it will take some time - break up some ground in this area for a little bit, dig out that big rock over there for a while, pull some weeds that have sprouted all over the place. The work is good. It makes ready more good soil to produce fruit for my Lord?