Friday, Sept. 27

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This week we have been examining the rocky soil, or the “shallow heart” from Jesus’ Parable of the Sower that is recorded in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. 

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.  - Matthew 13:20-21 

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.  - Mark 4:20  

And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.  - Luke 8:13  

One of the striking things about this kind of soil is that it is not immediately easy to tell that it is not good soil.  In fact, it looks good initially because there are signs of growth.  But Jesus us shows us how to discern a shallow heart from a truly genuine heart for God.  In each passage, Jesus indicates that there is something that will ultimately reveal the authenticity of the heart - what is it?  Persecution and tribulation, in other words, pain.  When difficulty and pain comes into our lives, it shines a spotlight on our faith.

It is interesting that Luke’s gospel refers to this as a “time of testing”.  This idea of our faith being tested and refined through trials and pain is a consistent theme throughout Scripture.

James 1:2-4 - Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Romans 5:3-5 - Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Peter 1:6-7 - In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

These passages, and many others like them, help us get a clearer picture of what Jesus is saying about the shallow heart in the Parable of the Sower.  It is important to point out that the Bible does not teach that God is arbitrarily deciding who suffers and who does not.  But the Bible does clearly teach that God is able and willing to use the difficulty, pain and suffering in our lives to grow us, and  deepen our faith and trust in Him. 

The shallow heart says...

“If I can’t see any possible good from my present pain, then there must not be any.”

“If I can’t comprehend how God could possibly use this pain in my life, then He cannot use it.”

“If I don’t  feel close to God in this moment, then He must have abandoned me.”

The shallow heart is short-sighted and impatient, and it cannot see that despite the pain of present circumstances, God is still good and He is still working to bring about a harvest of righteousness as the writer of Hebrews puts it...No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  - Hebrews 12:11

May God deepen our hearts to know Him and to trust Him more everyday!

Jeff Frazier