Monday, Sept. 23

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Monday

And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”  - Matthew 13:3-9

Although this parable is more commonly named “The Parable of the Sower”, after the sower of the seed, the “Parable of the Soils” might be a more fitting title.  The role of the sower in the story is of course critically important, but the parable’s point is twofold: first, to explain why different soils — different people — respond differently to the Gospel and, second, to invite us to examine ourselves to think about the kind of soil we hope to be.  

The parable and its explanation are straightforward enough. All of the first three people portrayed are ultimately hard in heart, but the hardness is especially clear in the person described in the first kind of soil, since that individual never shows an interest in the Gospel. His heart is hardened to the point where it resists all penetration by the seed.  Those who fall away after professing faith are represented by the second and third kinds of soils. Without solid rooting in good soil, plants will wither and die under the sun’s heat (vv. 5–6). Similarly, some people appear to be thriving believers until persecution reveals their true colors (vv. 20–21).  Others, like vegetation choked by weeds, are strangled by the cares of this world and the love of money (vv. 7, 22).  This is an especially dangerous fate, for the one in this condition usually does not know his predicament until it is too late.

When I was a kid, I would spend a week or two every summer with my cousins on my uncle’s small farm down in central Illinois.  I have fond memories of riding mini-bikes, playing in the hayloft, riding on the tractor, etc. I have even romanticized the times I spent cleaning out the stalls with my uncle.  However, one memory that is not so fond, is of the few times my uncle had us pick up rocks in his fields, ugh!  We would walk back and forth across the dirt field and pick up rocks, starting with the larger more obvious ones, and then the smaller ones, until my uncle finally told us we could stop.  

I look back now and realize that these were really small fields, and we only did this on a couple of occasions for a few hours, but at the time, I thought the fields were enormous and the job would never end!  I can remember thinking that this was a totally pointless task.  The fields looked the same to me when we had finished, as they did when we started.  But my uncle knew the difference.  He knew that the soil was really not yet ready to receive the seeds he was going to be planting there soon.

I think Jesus is telling us something very similar in this parable.  He is showing us that when it comes to soils, and to the human heart, external appearances can be deceiving.  God wants to prepare our hearts to receive the seed, His living word!  

Matthew Henry writes: “That which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness.”  

Stones or thorns may be found in the good soil of a true believer’s heart, but such obstructions do not finally prevent him from bearing fruit. Despite your remaining issues (and we’ve all got them) is your life bearing fruit for Christ?

Jeff Frazier