In Matt 13, Jesus talks about a farmer who goes out to sow seed. Matt 13:3-9 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
So, he scatters seed everywhere and then describes a number of different scenarios regarding what takes place with the seed. Birds come and take the seed, some plants wilted in the hot sun, others were choked out by the weeds. We often look at the things that hinder the word from taking root in people lives, birds, rocks, and weeds. But the real focus is what Jesus says at the end of the verse 8, “still other seed fell on fertile soil.” It is the soil that makes the difference. While I am not making light of circumstances and the thief that robs, I am drawing your attention away from blaming other things to look at the real issue, our soil.
I planted crops for years and painstakingly made sure that the soil was fertile and prepared to receive the seed. Because when I took care of my part and prepared the soil, (that was my move) He then did His part and caused the seed to grow. (His move) He explains it further in verse 12 “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” He is talking about our soil here, our ability to receive the word.
We can have great teaching, but if the soil (our heart) isn’t fertile, the seed isn’t going to make it and other circumstances are going to hinder the crop from producing all that it can produce. Our heart is the soil, our move is to prepare it. God sows the seed, His move is to cause it to grow. So, keep your soil fertile and the word will grow and bring a crop exponentially larger than was sown, because when it comes to growing seed, He is the best farmer I know.
D.O.V.E