In the thirteenth chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a story known as the parable of the sower (click here to read it). In this story He tells of seed that is sown on 4 different types of ground - the road, rock filled ground, weed infested terrain, and good soil. As can be expected the sower gets 4 different results:

1. The seeds that fell on the path quickly became bird food
2. The seeds that fell into the rocky soil shot up quick, but died just as fast due to the lack of a good root system
3. The seeds that fell into the weed & thorn infested ground were overpowered and choked out by the weeds
4. And finally the seeds that fell onto the good soil were able to develop properly without the threat of birds, sun, or weeds and ended up producing a tremendous crop!

So what was Jesus trying to teach with this parable?

“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.”

In short, Jesus is saying that the outcome depends not just on what “seed” we put in, but also on the condition of the “soil” into which we sow. So, how’s your soil?

Many times this passage of Scripture is only referenced when thinking of accepting the Gospel for the first time. But, perhaps its message is one that we can continually use in our journey towards Christlikeness. If we want to experience the life transforming power of the Gospel in our lives, our “soil” has to be ready to recieve it. How’s your soil? Or, as theologian & professor Leonard Sweet writes in his book A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Cafe’, “Is your clay moist?” Is your soul pliable and ready to be shaped by the master potter?

Are you ready to recieve the seed of the gospel and to allow it to grow within you, springing forth from within and producing good fruit? Or will the seed be choked out by the weeds of this life (worry & decietfulness of wealth)? Will the seed have the good soil it needs in order to grow deep roots or will it only be given a short life span, dying out when trouble and persecution comes?

If we desire to grow and for the Gospel to grow in us, we must continually be asking the question, “How’s my soil?” When we do, and when the Spirit helps us in turning our dried up, rocky, weed infested dirt into fertile, rich soil we will see the transforming power of the Gospel at work in our lives as the seed grows into a life full of the fruit of the Spirit.

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