I wrote very recently about "sowing vs planting" in our relationships. In that blog I referenced a parable from Matthew 13, commonly referred to as the Parable of the Sower. It's a story of a farmer who scattered seed on many different ground types. He sowed on ground that was rocky, full of thorns, shallow soil, and ground where birds could easily eat the fallen seed, and finally good soil which would receive the seed and result in a plentiful harvest.
I used that as an illustration to show how we should also freely sow seeds of goodness, kindness, generosity, patience into people who are not necessarily going to appreciate or even reciprocate our investment. We can see from the Bible that this is the nature of God. He is so generous, gracious and kind even to those who don't acknowledge Him. Even to those who hate Him! So there is a godly attribute that we can learn from this parable and the way I used it in illustration.
However - this is not the primary message in the Parable of the Sower. I imagine if Jesus read that particular blog He would say: "what you're saying is right, and that's a nice use of that parable.... but that's not what I meant when I said it."
The illustration I drew from that parable is helpful in instruction on relationships - for sure - but Jesus was talking about something else.
Fortunately for us this is one of the few instances that Jesus explains what He meant in this parable.Here is His explanation:
Matthew 13:18-23
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
This parable is about the Kingdom of God. The good news of who Jesus Christ is. The good news that He has a plan for our lives. That plan includes setting us free from the trappings of our sinfulness, our natural leaning toward bad things, our often insane, unquenchable desire for love, acceptance, pleasure, wealth, fame, power. It is a restoration of what God intended for humanity: holiness, wholeness, and a genuine relationship with God.
The seed is the message - clearly articulated in words.
Words that may have been heard from the prayers of a grandparent.
Words read in a Bible on the bedside table in a hotel room.
Words heard in a conversation with a friend.
Words heard from the pulpit in church.
Many hear the message but do not understand it, and truthfully don't want to understand it. I remember trying to coach my sister through some mathematical problems, but she hated maths. She knew she needed it, she knew there was a test coming, but there was no desire in her to want to understand whatsoever. She listened as I explained, but I could see there was no attempt made to understand, or apply what I was talking about. Many hear the message from God but don't internalize it.
Some hear the message, understand it and are overjoyed at what it means for them, but trouble comes - which it does - and that message fades in the noise of hard times.
Some hear the message and receive it but the call to fame and fortune screams, at times when the message whispers, and so the message is choked.
Others receive the message, it is planted deep within their heart and it takes root - growing up to be strong and mature - multiplying into every bit of goodness that God intends for each one of us!
So really - this parable is about the fact that God (through people) sows seed (His message, His call) to people everywhere without discrimination. Everyone responds - but only a few take the message to heart. Jesus caps off the parable with a statement: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear".
We can draw all kinds of goodness, direction and wisdom from the Bible, and we should; but not at the expense of what the Lord intended when He put each piece of scripture in place.
I could buy a toothbrush and use it for cleaning difficult to reach areas on my motorcycle engine - and that's good and helpful - but the toothbrush, and the creator of that toothbrush is most honored when I use it diligently to brush my teeth!
justdonlon