What Kind of Soil are You?

Parable of the Sower, Luke 8:4

I was reflecting on a parable the other day that I have read a million times.  The danger when reading familiar scripture is that you might assume there is nothing new for you in a passage.  But scripture truly is, ever old, ever new.

I encourage you to read it, if you are unfamiliar with it, but in summary, Jesus tells this *parable about a sower who goes out to sow his seed, and he describes the different types of soil on which the seed lands.  Depending on where it falls, it either dies or grows.

The four different places the seed lands are:

*a path, where it is trampled and the birds eat it

*rocky ground, where it grows briefly, then dies without water

*among thorns, where it dies from being choked

*on good soil, where it grows and produces fruit

So out of four possibilities, the seed really only comes to life from one.

God is the sower, and the seed in this parable is the Word of God.  We are one of the four places the Word of God lands.

We should rightfully ask ourselves, “Which of these places describes me?”

I began to consider this question:  “Can I become good soil if right now I am the path, the rocky ground or among the thorns?” 

And how might that change come about?

Well, if you are the path and the Word of God does not take root, or the rocky ground where you started out with God’s word and then did not nourish it, or if you have allowed worldly desires or distractions to squeeze God’s life out of you, this is where you might start.

To become good soil, look at the three others, and counter them.  You will discover what this means for you.  For instance, 

--Have you stubbornly refused to be open to God in your life because you do not see his relevance or believe in the power of prayer?  Or, maybe you just think this is not who you are?

--Are you a believer who remains inattentive out of disinterest or laziness or just being stuck?

--Have you placed your trust in things rather than God?

To begin is very simple.  Just utter one little prayer to God:

 “Help me to become good soil. I am ready.”

He will show you the rest. 

Listen carefully.  

Prepare to be amazed.

God bless,

Janet Cassidy

Janetcassidy.com

*Parable 

"A short story based on a familiar life experience used to teach a spiritual lesson. It resembles the fable and the allegory. Jesus used the parable many times in his public ministry. "Why do you teach them in parables?" his disciples asked him. "Because," he replied, "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them" (Matthew 13:10-11). It was a means of teaching his doctrine especially to those who accepted him as Messiah. (Etym. Greek parabolē, comparison, parable; literally, a throwing beside, juxtaposition."