So many times the parable of the sower has been taught, in church and in Sunday school. It didn’t hit me until the other day, that it actually has some merit in my daily life as well. For most of my life I have had the soil that doesn’t really absorb much, and the weeds come and destroy what I do start growing. If I let my life get cluttered with things that don’t really matter…then the Word doesn’t have any place to grow.
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?” His disciples asked, “Why did you tell this story?” He said, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren’t going to get it: Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing, Their ears are open but don’t hear a thing.
“This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God. The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved. “The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.
“And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun. “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest. (Luke 8:4-15 MSG)
This story is often used in the messages of salvation. But to me it is also a great parable explaining the condition of our hearts on a daily basis. The Message Bible always has such an interesting way of paraphrasing, and makes it so easy to understand.
So many of us go through life, just hearing God’s word, even going as far as reading it for ourselves. What we absorb into our hearts depends on the condition of our hearts. Are we open to hearing what it says? Do we make it our own, or does it seem like an abstract concept?
I pray that His word absorbs into my soul every day…and every day I learn a little bit more. I know the enemy fills my heart with weeds, and sometimes they are even quite pretty. To be able to discern the good from the bad, and to see the Kingdom of Heaven grow, that is my hearts goal.
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