“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.” — Matthew 13:19.
Jesus tells His disciples of the prophecy of Isaiah, who lived about 700 years earlier, saying, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive” (Isaiah 6:9-10).
Jesus continues, “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
Then He said, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17).
The parable of the sower/soils has deep meaning and truth. The above quotations are examples of this. If you are still reading this, chances are that seeds have fallen from the sower’s bag onto your path and have landed on some of your soil. You may have a bit of understanding, yet doubt in your heart could turn you away from this dialog at any moment. Is that how you feel right now? Keep reading.
The parable of the sower describes four different types of soil, where seeds of truth may be sown or dropped. In Matthew 13, Jesus speaks from a boat on the water to great crowds of people on a beach. He wanted all to hear, yet likely most could not understand what He was saying. In fact, He needed to clarify why He spoke in parables and the meaning of this one to His disciples. Read Matthew chapter 13, verses 1- 23.
What is the condition of your soil? Maybe it’s a thin dusting on a rocky path, where the birds can pick away the seeds. Psalm 14:1 states, “The fool says in his heart ‘there is no God’. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.”
Do the lies of this world have you shut down before even starting? Are you any closer to an awakened heart than when you first heard? Have your given seeds been devoured? Just know more and richer soil may increase in your life for new seeds to take hold.
Maybe your soil is a light covering over a rocky field, where there is no depth for faith to root deeply, thus withering when the heat gets turned up by the world.
This is a picture of the persecution for even thinking about seeking the truths of Christianity, where your so-called friends ridicule you, or your job is being threatened by some ridiculous policies and managers about proselytizing. In other countries, it may even be your life that is at stake. In simple terms, you are scared of the consequences for believing. Or, maybe you are excited to hear there is a way to make sense of this world.
All the chaos you thought was normal insanity is not normal at all. It is just insanity in a fallen world. Reasons behind the chaos begin to be understood. But then, something happens to a “really good guy” and you recall a ridiculous question that is thrown around like candy at a parade: “Why would a good, benevolent God let bad things happen to good people?”
You wrestle with this for less than an hour and determine that you just can’t believe in a God like that. You throw out what little faith you had like a hot potato. Or, maybe you latch onto a verse you don’t understand because you don’t research the true meaning and that stops you from any more scripture reading. The roots of your newly planted seeds wither, because they are not being fed properly. The only thing that grows is the layer of dust on your Bible, but dust alone doesn’t grow seeds.
Maybe your seeds fall into soil polluted by thorn seeds. Your faith begins to grow and you get some depth of roots. You find yourself in the most unlikely of places, a church. With all their teachings, you are on your way to becoming a fair disciple of a religion. You have read their statement of faith, maybe without even understanding it. You make some friends, because some of the church’s greeters treated you with “love” when you first went through their doors.
Later, down the road, gossip ruins some of your relationships. Maybe there is infidelity between leaders and congregation members. Maybe a prosperity-style gospel is taught. Perhaps, you go about your life as before, hanging out with the same old friends, having drinks, smoking weed, cussing like a sailor or whatever tickles your fancy. These are the thorns that can choke out your faith. This is probably the most likely reason people get lax with their faith.
Worse than the collapse of an individual’s faith is the false teachings of some religious systems. When so-called Christian churches stray from the explicit teachings of the Bible, things can unravel quickly. Satan is an expert at getting people to doubt God’s word or keeping them teaching false doctrines. The best of Satan’s lies are the closest to the truth. Some churches really emphasize a few passages in the Bible to build their doctrines around. These lies can be subtle, yet widely accepted. But if misunderstanding can be clarified by other verses that more closely align to the heart of God and His will, then the teachings are false. Still, churches are made up of people, none of whom are perfect. Their weeds may need to be pulled up by the roots before they infect the whole garden.
Finally, there is good soil. This is soil that has been supplemented well and is acceptable to receive seeds. Maybe it has compost in it, the rotting useless growth being heaped up as we go about our lives. It should also have fertilizer (manure) in it.
The world will not miss the chance to pile heaps of manure on your life. The deeper the manure, the richer the soil. Those who have been dealt the worst this world can dish out, or choose to embrace “friends” that reek of the manure they are pushing, sometimes end up with soil so rich that when the seed of truth is dropped in, it grows rapidly.
When God changes the crap of this world into useful fertilizer, the world is seen as it really is. Understanding is possible. Theological study is easier to grasp. Questions are pondered at deeper levels. Answers are revealed.
This soil retains moisture as it is watered by the truth of God’s word, through the Holy Spirit.
What is the condition of your soil? Everyone has enough manure piled on them to grow seeds. But, there is a choice as to which seeds you will tend to. Will you continue to nurture the weed seeds, all the worldly things that go against God’s will? Will you let your faith be choked out? Or will you feed your garden to grow understanding and hope?
With fertile soil, you can nurture seeds of life. It will take many trials to make it rich enough, but it’s worth it in the long run. Yet, poisoned soil can only lead to death. The poison is every thought that is against God’s life-giving essence.
Are you an advocate for God or do you embrace the world and its problems? Do you embrace life or death?
No matter what you have done in your life, know that seeds dropped in your soil may grow quickly toward the life -giving power of Jesus. He understands. He took on all the world’s manure, so He will grow good seeds in those who can hear His voice.
In John chapter 10, verses 27-30, Jesus lays it out well: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Seek hope and life today through His written words.
This column may include both fiction and nonfiction, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of The SUN. Submissions can be sent to editor@pagosasun.com.
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