Luke 8:14-15

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.  NIV

As I’m working my way through the “worry” listings in my concordance, I came to this one.  I knew that, in the Bible, each of four disciples tells the story of Christ from their own perspective, and that therefore you see a lot of the same stories repeated in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  But, this is the second time in about three weeks that I’ve come across the parable of the sower.

Now, prior to starting this project, I could have told you the parable of the sower.  I probably could have even recited the four kinds of seed … I’ve been in church all of my life.  I, like most people, have always reacted to the story in this way … “I want to be the seed that grows up in good ground!”  But, wanting to be the seed that grows on good ground, and taking the steps to BE the seed that goes on good ground, I’m learning, are two very different things.

I confess that I had not previously contemplated this story deeply.   What little thought I did give to it though, was focused on where the seed FELL.  It fell on rocky ground … it fell on the path … etc.  I think I saw this as pretty much a random act, and, I saw myself as the seed — I wanted to fall into a nice, hospitable environment.

But, I’m the GROUND.

I’m taking a landscaping class.  It lasts for two hours, once a week.  A couple of weeks ago, I kid you not, we spent two solid hours talking about the ground … preparing the ground, mulching, etc.  For two hours!  My friend and I laughed and laughed afterwards that we had signed up for this class hoping to learn about how to better landscape our yards, and we had spent two hours just discussing dirt.

Thank God!  Thank God, that I’ve learned that dirt can be altered, it can be enriched, it can be made to produce much better fruit!  The seed, the Word of God, is the same … yesterday, today and tomorrow.

“But, the seed in the good earth — these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.”  The Message

I want to be good dirt.  I will seize the Word of God, and hold on — no matter what!