Jesus spoke in Parables, or Metaphors so that many could not understand. His word is like hidden treasure and not all will find it.
When you were a child, you might have grown a plant from a seed and through the germination process, watched that plant grow. You know how important it is to make sure it has the proper, productive soil when you plant it, otherwise, it’s not going to grow and maybe not even stay alive.
You can’t plant most plants in sand, for example, or rocks. The plant or tree seedling, in order to experience growth and flourishing, will need to have healthy soil. Even so, each human’s heart has to be readied, prepared. Who does the readying? It is the Lord Himself. He also won’t push it. If the heart is not welcoming to Him, He’s not coming in.
Here is the Parable of the Sower from Mark 4:14-20:
“The Sower soweth the Word.
“And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” 14&15
You can see how Satan would lie in wait. He knows that if he can deceive someone right off the bat, they’re going to be less likely to follow Jesus and carry their cross throughout their life. You have heard of many people who wanted to wait a while before committing their lives to Him. Some died sooner than expected and didn’t have a second chance. If the Lord puts a call on your life, answer it. You may not get another.
“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” 16&17
These could be those who are ashamed of Jesus’ words. The very words that He warns us about. Our world has different standards, accepts different acts than does the Lord. They excuse things, make sin sound okay as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else.
Make sure you are humbling yourself before the Word of God and not standing on it, deciding what is worthy of the Judgment of God or dismissing His very words: “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” Luke 8:26
“And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” 18&19
I think of the cares and lusts of this world such as the love of money. The bible also likens bitterness to be like a vine that chokes out life and destroys all around it. The Word of God can be similar to a threshing instrument that clears out and prepares, so if He gives you a warning for someone or a puts a scripture on your heart to share, be obedient.
“And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.” 20
If you’ve ever had a garden or even cared for a single plant that you loved, you know that each watering is important, caring for the soil, fertilizing it, maybe shielding that plant from the sun, or the elements. All of these things can be important. Any farmer or gardener understands the importance of rich soil.
The soil is the condition of their hearts. Not all seeds sown will be fruitful, so consider what you may do to keep your own heart’s soil rich in nutrients so it will thrive in the Word of God by learning its truths. It is also important to keep in prayer that Jesus may enrich your understanding of what others He brings into your life may need by His Holy Spirit, who is able to see into humans’ hearts.
While we are sowers of the Word, we cannot know how the hearts receive the word. Only God sees hearts. We can know that God’s word does not come back void, but sometimes that might not happen until Judgment Day.
Sometimes we will see the results immediately and see them again after many years when we can see the spiritual growth in that person. The parable of the sower was given to help both the sower and the hearts that are to receive the word. We are to examine ourselves and ask the Lord to clean our hearts and we are to judge ourselves. As sowers, we are to keep our hearts pure and enriched with His Word and remain in as constant communion with the Holy Spirit as is possible.
Lord help us to be plough sharers of hearts for You. Let us never be ashamed of Your word. Draw us into Your word and give us the Living Water of Your Word. Let us cherish Your Word like the richest treasure we can possibly find, because Lord Jesus, You are Your Word and may You choose to live in us.
In the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.
Scriptural References:
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Psalm 34:15
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Hebrews 12:15
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 3:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12