“And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.” Luke 8:15
I love Jesus’ Parable of the Sower. In fact, I find it to be one of the greatest of all his teachings. And the rare bonus of this teaching is that Jesus even took the time to explain to his disciples (and us) what the parable meant; something that he would do only one other time in all of the parables he told (give yourself a pat on the back if you know what that other parable is).
A few things stand out in this particular parable that we would be keen to take note of.
- The Sower isn’t named.
Some readers read too much into this parable and get lost on the way to the mailbox. Many assert that the Sower is Jesus himself. After all, he’s the narrator of the story. Others insist that the Sower is an evangelist, because evangelists are called by God to preach His Word. But there’s a reason why Jesus didn’t identify the Sower: that information is immaterial to the true meaning of the parable.
2. The degree of skill with which the Sower spread the seed isn’t mentioned.
Did the Sower cast the seed side-arm? Over-handed? Or maybe underhanded? Did he graduate from the prestigious Nazareth School of Agriculture? Did he go on to earn his PhD at the Galilean Institute of Farming ?
Imagine visiting a church and as you’re leaving, a member pulls you to the side and says, “Hey, if you liked this week’s service you should really come back next week! The guy preaching next Sunday got his Masters in Divinity at the Moody Bible Institute, founded the largest (and only) church in Siberia, is an honorary charter member of the Denmark Order of Saints, has written 37 New York Times best sellers, and has 22 Social Media channels with over 88 million subscribers!” Wow! This sounds like someone that even Jesus might be honored to meet.
Don’t get me wrong… to some people these things really matter. But as it relates to this parable Jesus is telling, it doesn’t register. Not even a hint.
3. The quality of the seed is never talked about.
The seed is of top quality. The seed that was eaten by the birds on the path, the seed that was scattered on the rocky ground that didn’t take root, the seed that was choked out by the weeds and thorns – it was all of the same quality seed that yielded a hundredfold harvest in the good soil.
4. It’s all about the soil.
The problem wasn’t with the Sower. The problem wasn’t with the seed. The problem was the receptive condition of the soil.
Jesus presents us a wonderful illustration of the various stages of the human heart’s receptiveness once it is exposed to the Word of God.
Does the seed of God’s Word penetrate the surface of our hearts? Does the root of God’s Word continue growing deeper within us, enabling us to endure life’s ups and downs, to persevere through times of testing, to weather the storms and the cold and the heat and the droughts? Does God’s Word within us produce a bountiful crop no matter the season of life?
It is not one’s faith that keeps him safe from falling away. It is only the power of God that enables continuous faith to persist, no matter what.
“How receptive is your heart?” That’s the question Jesus challenged his disciples to consider. And Jesus is challenging us with that same consideration today.
What’s the dirt on our soil?
Former Blackout Artist 