Mark 4:3-9, 13-20
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
13Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
We are the soil and the seed is what God plants in you.
We have to be aware of what the current status of our dirt is, even dirt from the desert could produce beautiful plants if it was watered and given the right nutrients. It just takes attention to create the environment in which a seed can survive or even thrive!
Reading your Bible, staying connected to God, and worshipping are great ways to show attention to the ground you are to receive any seed on.
The goal of every seed is to reproduce and multiply.
The bad ground condition can result in too little to no growth. Good ground results in a harvest in your life that is way more than the single seed you started with.
Take Action
What kind of ground do you have for seeds to be planted in? Would seeds grow and die or will they produce more than what was put in to them? Figure out where you are in your soil rating and make a plan on how to improve it.
