Title: Got Good Soil? / Topic: Listening

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23
3 ..."A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear."
18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Observation: I just love this parable. It portrays a basic truth about people. Everybody might hear the words -- but not everybody does something with the words. Some don't respond at all, others respond positively at first but then get sidetracked. Only one fourth of the listeners in the parable actually come to a good result over time.

Application: To me there are two basic applications. First, don't expect everybody to get it. If you can get 25 percent, that's about right. And don't be surprised when people who start out by saying, "I love it! That's great!" end up washing out. The second application is a personal one. I think that every person needs to realize that we all have areas of the differing soils in our own hearts and minds. We have some hard areas, rocky areas, weedy areas, and fertile areas. The challenge for me is to always be cultivating the soil of my heart so that the word will find a wonderful place to grow and bring forth good fruit in abundance.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for speaking through Jesus in these wonderful parables that help us to understand so much. May we be effective in proclaiming your word clearly -- in sowing good seed -- so that there may be a good harvest. And may I be increasing in the preparedness and fruitfulness of my own heart so that your word will produce a wonderful harvest of righteousness in my own life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.