Friday, February 13, 2015

Which one are you in the parable of the sower?

Do you ever read the parable of the sower and think about which one you are?

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.” *

What kind of hearer am I? ‎Do we seek to really understand the gospel? When we hear it told again and again, does it merely lay on the surface as commonplace? When our faith is put to the test, do we find ourselves putting hope in everything else but the good news? Or, when we become anxious about the cares of this world, do we find ourselves grasping for a firm foundation that isn’t there? ‎The seed that falls on the good soil describes a completely different reception. This hearer receives the word and “hears it and understands it.” It doesn’t stop there, however. The hearer is also known for his good works, which display a heart that has been changed. These hearers bear fruit according to what they have been given. Jesus emphasizes that the pursuit of Him isn’t lethargic, or merely emotional, and it isn’t cerebral. It involves pursuing Him with all of our being—in a posture of humility, with an ear that hears and a life that is changed. It involves complete surrender to His will.   Connect the Testaments