, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
“And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables…” Matthew 13: 2,3.
The disciples asked him why Jesus chose to use parables, or stories, to relate the Gospel and get His point across. He answered them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given….Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” Matthew 13:11, 13.
The Gospel appears very different to those who are on the “outside looking in”. It can be compared to being on the outside of a church or a building that has stained glass windows. On the outside you cannot see the beauty that has gone into the detailed work of the glass. But step inside of the building and there you can clearly see the fine detail and expert craftsmanship that the workman has labored to put into his effort.
Before we find Truth, the Gospel can appear that same way to us. We cannot understand what we see, what we read, or what we hear. It is foreign to us. But once we receive the Holy Spirit, it is as if the Light has been turned on! We can now see!
In The Parable of the Sower we have four players:
- The Seed, which is the Word of God.
- The Sower, the one communicating the Word of God.
- The Soil, which is the hearts of the people.
- Spiritual growth and maturity.
Sometimes called The Parable of the Four Soils, Jesus is talking about a man who sows seed on four types of ground:
The Hard Ground, “by the way side”. Here the seed cannot get into the dirt at all; it is good for nothing but food for the birds and animals!
The Thorny Ground, the seed can grow but the thorns choke the plant that does try to make it.
The Stony Ground gives enough depth for the seeds to start to grow but not enough for them to get any roots because there is not enough deep soil.
And the Good Ground is where the seed can take root and produce much fruit and grow as it should, healthy and strong.
I love the Parable of the Sower because Jesus actually takes time to explain it Himself! He expounds that the seed that “fell on the footpath” represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom but don’t understand it. Then the enemy comes and snatches the seed away that was planted in their hearts.
The seed that fell among the Thorns is like those who hear the Word of God, but all too easily the message is crowded out by the cares of life and the pleasures of this world, then no fruit is produced.
The seed on Stony Ground represents those who hear the message and immediately they receive it with joy and gladness of heart! But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. As soon as they are persecuted, made fun of or any little problem comes along, they give up.
But the seed that fell on Good Ground represents those who really hear and understand the Word of God and “produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Matthew 13:23 NLT.
So, what kind of soil are you? What’s your dirt? When you hear the Word of God do you let it grow in your heart and take root?
Or do you let Satan steal your joy? Does every little thing that comes along rob you of the peace that really belongs to the child of God?
“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” James 1: 21 NLT.
What kind of fruit are you bearing? “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:8 NKJV. Is HE glorified in YOUR life? Does your life reflect the glory of God?
John Piper says it so beautifully, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him!”
What kind of sower are you? Do you stir up division, cause strife and contention wherever you go? Or do your footsteps bring peace and comfort? Are you a healer? Do your very words cause calm to come into a room?
Are you sowing GOOD SEED?
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NKJV.
“…plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 NLT.
Remember, there are four types of people. Be one of the “few” who “get it”. Don’t water down the message. Don’t try to change it! Take it as it is given, this is where the power really is. And this is when you will begin to see fruit in your life. Joy will come!
“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7 NLT.
Sharing with Faith-filled Friday, The Dwelling Tree, Faithful Friday, A Proverbs 31 Wife, Hear it on Sunday, Playdates@The Wellspring, Monday Musings Modest Mom , Character Corner, Top 10 Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesdays, Titus Tuesdays, Domestically Divine Tuesday
I pray I am sowing good seed. This is one of my favorite parables because there is so much there. Good stuff, my friend!
Dear Nanette
Oh, I know what it is to be in a church for years and not understanding the gospel one bit. Only as God reveals truth to our inmost being can we understand anything spiritual!
Luv XX
Mia
Thank you Ceil, and thank you for yours today as well. Just what I needed on this dragging Monday. Blessings to you dear friend. God will take care of the harvest! God will take care of us! ♥
Hi Dear! I was really stopped in my tracks by the line: don’t measure by the harvest but by the seeds you sew. Wow. That’s a good visual for me. And I think it’s so true. Plant the seed and move on, because God will take care of the growing and the harvest.
As usual, great post 🙂
Happy Monday!
Ceil
Elizabeth, you did a beautiful job!! I couldn’t have said it any better. Thank you so much for your encouraging words. Charmaine needs us both!! Love you friend for your sensitivity!! Blessings!! Make me some cookies!! ♥
Charmaine the fact that you are so concerned about these things tells me that your heart is heading in the right direction. You are seeking The Lord and desiring to do His will.
You may be under attack right now, facing mega odds, but that doesn’t mean you cannot produce fruit or that you are not useful. In fact, that is sometimes when we do our best work! Satan thinks he has us down but the Bible says, “Rejoice not against me oh my enemy! For when I fall, I shall arise!”
I might be pushed down but I will get back up, again…and again…and again! Greater is He that is in YOU than He that is in the world!
If you cannot insist on your children making some changes in your home…if they live under your roof they should be contributing and helping you, but if that is not possible you must take care of YOU!
Start your day and end it with Almighty God, let Him be your strength and refuse to listen to the lies the enemy has been feeding you. Read in Philippians where it says to “…think on these things…” Whatever is of a good report! Fillip your mind with those things my friend and watch God do a work.
Elizabeth and I are praying for you! We love you dear friend!
Beautiful! Thank you so much, you did a wonderful job answering Charmaine…that is what the Body of Christ is all about! And you are so right in every point you made! We have all been where she is at some point and God has picked us up. We need to surround her in prayer at this difficult time in her life. Bless you Elizabeth!
Charmaine, I am sure that Nannette will have a wonderful, God-given response, but I just wanted to share with you that, in my times of feeling just like you, wondering what my purpose is, wondering if I really am “bearing fruit”, I am reminded that God knows our hearts. He sees things in us that we ourselves can’t see – and we can be so thankful that He does! I don’t think God cares if you can recall scripture at the drop of a hat, or remember every word of the sermon. He sees that you love Him and your heart of service toward Him. And as far as where you are in Jesus – at the forefront of His love, whole, complete, and made perfect THROUGH Him.
I hope somehow that helps you. I know what it’s like to feel lost, like there’s no way He can find you. It’s like the song “Hurricane” says – step out on the edge, don’t be afraid of it, and when you feel the rain, call His name, He’ll find you in a hurricane.
Just this morning I was tell God how I feel I have no purpose. I don’t know where I fit in anymore since returning to him a few years ago. I have been dealin with this stupid medical condition that sometimes seems to take over my life! I hate it! I don’t know what kind of seed I am or anything. I used to be sure of myself when it came to serving God now it’s like I lost everything. I have no confidence in myself especially when it comes to being around my children. They make me feel like such a failure that I don’t know what to say around them. So as the mother and grand mother shouldn’t I be bearing some kind of fruit? I can’t tell you where to find anything in the Bible but I can tell what’s in it. I study so that I can remember scripture but they don’t stick! It’s frustrating when I want to tell someone something but don’t know where tolook for it. Does that mean I have thorney soil? Sometimes I leave servi e and can’t remember what was preached. Does that mean I have Stoney ground? Lord help me! I so want in my heart of hearts to serve you! I want all that you have for me. I feel so out of sorts and so disappointing I need to know where I am in you Jesus!
It’s funny!
I just added my picture to my blog and I wrote about being the thistle on the rock and being replanted by God into the good soil.
You are a very eloquent writer. God has blessed you with a talent for writing and helping others think about where they are and where they need to be with God’s love.