Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.  Matthew 13:3 

 

The seed (God’s Word) is always productive and the Sower (the Lord) never deviates from His job either. The only variable is the soil. That ultimately determines if the seed will be productive. Here Jesus discusses three kinds of soil. Check and see which one you are - (1) Hard: In Bible times, hard-packed paths often ran alongside the farmers’ fields. Any seed falling there just shriveled and died. When you’ve been walked on and disappointed, unless you’re careful, you can become hard; you develop a tough, impenetrable shield that makes it easy for Satan to come along and steal the seed before it has a chance to grow. (2) Shallow: In Jesus’ day, most farmland in the Holy Land was just a few inches of topsoil over rock, with nothing to sustain roots. Richard Foster says: ‘Superficiality is the curse of the age. We live in a world of shallow relationships, superficial conversations, and hurried moments of prayer. We bounce from one spiritual activity to another without any real root system.’ Know anyone like that? (3) Overgrown: This soil’s so overcrowded, there’s no room for anything else. Its nutrients are sustaining the weeds. Clutter happens easily and is dangerous, because it’s so subtle. Ever notice how often you’re bombarded with guarantees that certain things will bring you happiness? Like the car manufacturer who advertised, ‘You can’t buy happiness ‘but you can lease it!’ Ya right!  Do a soil analysis today and weed out anything that’s hindering your spiritual growth. Once your heart is tender, your devotion deep, and your life uncluttered, you’ll be amazed at what God can accomplish through you.