Soil Conditions
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The Parable of the Sower is recorded in three (Mt, Mk and Lk) of the four Gospels. In today’s account Jesus explains the meaning of the parable to His disciples.
The Lord said that the sown seed represents the word of God. You might say that the seed was the truth about who God is, who we are and what His plan for us is. In short, it is the message that Jesus announced.
The seed fell on four different types of soil: the hardened path, rocky ground, thorny soil, and finally, rich soil. Each different type of soil represents the conditions of various human hearts and their varied propensity to allow the seed to take root and grow.
The path represents the heart that hears God’s word but does not understand it. It is quickly stolen away by the Evil One.
The rocky soil represents those who quickly and joyfully receive the seed of God’s word, but there is insufficient depth for the roots to grow. When the plant is stressed, it quickly dies.
The thorny ground represents the human heart that prevents God’s word from flourishing because it is choked out by the weeds of worldly anxiety and the lure of riches. The seed bears no fruit.
The rich soil is the heart that hears and understands, that is not hardened and not filled with the weeds of the world. This rich soil allows the seed to take deep root and to bear fruit that yields a hundred, sixty or thirty-fold.
The word is the same, it is the Good News of God’s love and His plan for mankind’s salvation. The variable is the condition of the “soil” of each person’s heart.
The good news is that soil can be cultivated, weeded, and rocks removed. It can be fertilized and watered and become rich in nutrients, ready to accept seed and grow healthy fruitful plants.
What is the “soil condition” of your heart? Is it a trampled down path, full of rocks or thorny weeds, or is it rich, ready to let God’s word take deep root?
If it is not rich soil, what can you do to make it so?
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life,
