The Parable of the Sower

[matthew]

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:1-9 niv

When I think of that passage, and compare it with my own experiences, it really shows me how wise Jesus is and how he always spoke the truth. There is no one like Jesus who understands the human condition so well!

I used to look at that passage and always worry which one I was. Was I the seed that feel along the path and eat up by the birds; the seed that fell among the rocky places, which lacked soil; the seed that fell among the thorns and were choked; or the seed that fell on good soil, which grew and developed into a rich crop?

now I see that I am all those things.

We all struggle with these things.The first three are all part of the sinful nature and rooted in selfishness. When we put our interests above God's interests for us we will always fail. And without the Spirit this would be all we'd have. We would be without hope, and prisoners of our own fallen condition.

The first three types of behaviour are of ourselves, while the forth is of God. And in the forth example there is hope! Even though there is a constant battle with our sinful selves, the power of God's Spirit makes It possible to live not for ourselves only but for God and those around us.

Thank you Jesus for giving us this hope!!

[merci]

Jesus did speak the truth & he knew that when we get all the negativity out of ourselves, we can be at our best. One of his biggest messages was to be close to God. When we do that, perhaps all hope becomes a reality.

[Michael]

Wow, M@! That was good. I never thought of it that way. Thanks for posting that. It really gets you thinking about it because I would always worry about which one I am...

[admin]

Yes. Thank you, Matt This is such a powerful parable in how to live our lives. I so want to be planted on good soil so that I can grow up strong and be more and more the plant that God wants me to be.

The other week, my pastor spoke on this passage and it really got me to think. I never really thought of this passage as applying to me, but to people who are Christians and who are not. But, he took the same angle as you did, Matt. And talked about how we all are in different areas of this and that when we are not on planted on good soil, we are living our lives in sinfulness and away from His purpose.

I actually made a post at my journal about this and so, I'm going to post it here

"Today, I got to go to church this morning and the service was really good. I have been having a hard time concentrating on the messages of late, but I made a real strong effort to stay awake and to really focus on the sermon today.

The pastor was talking about Matthew 13 and the parable of the Sower. He was talking about how in our Christian walk we have different kinda soil in our lives. Sometimes we are hard and won't really listen to what God has to say. Other times we listen, and kinda want it to take root, but something comes along and blows it away. The other is when we have worry and things in our lives that just choke up anytime or anything that we do with God. The fourth is when we have good soil and our relationship with God is strong and the messages really do sink in and do take root.

I think right now, I am kind of a mixture of the rocky soil that takes root but is blown away and the other being consumed with my worry and other things in my life. I really have a desire to grow more intimately with God and do try and make efforts once and a while, but then things come up and I forget about God once again. One day, I will have my morning time with God and my relationship with him is stronger that day and my normal struggles that I feel aren't there. Then the next day, I don't read the Bible or spend time with him, and all my struggles come back in full force and I am tempted and fall into sin. I really do want to have a life that has good soil and that really has a strong desire to grow closer to God and not have these things blown away when a strong wind comes up. It is so hard sometimes!! I guess I just need to really make a HUGE conscious effort to really have those private times with God every morning. I know that when I do, my priorities all straighten out, I don't struggle as much with things, and I just am more happy and joyful.

Why is it more difficult to do what you know is the good thing to do? I guess it kinda makes me think of that passage of scripture that Paul says... I do the things I don't want to do but don't do the things that I want to do. That truely is where I am at most of the time spiritually lately."