Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What Kind Of Farmer Are You?

"The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest -- thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."
-- Matthew 13:23

Most folks around here know a bit about farming. Some are actually farmers. Some have gardens growing in their backyards. Others content themselves with visits to the farmers’ market downtown.

We even know how difficult it sometimes can be to grow crops. Too little rain and the hard dirt won’t allow the seeds to grow. Too much rain and the tender roots just rot beneath the loose dirt. Crops need just the right amount of sun and water to grow into glorious crops that feed us all.

God’s seeds are a lot like that. Pastor Rob talked about the parable of the sower last Sunday. You’ve probably all heard the story that Jesus told about the seeds a farmer threw out. The birds ate some seeds. Other seeds fell on shallow ground. The seeds grew quickly but soon died from lack of nourishment. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a good crop.

Pastor Rob likened the first seeds as those being thrown at a hard heart. The seed of the gospel can’t take root in a hard heart. We have to be careful not to let the world -- with its murders, economic woes and constant bad news -- desensitize us to the point that we can’t hear what God has to say.

The second batch of seeds fell on the briar patches of worry and wealth, he said. We are a nation dealing with junk overload. It doesn’t mean that some of our activities aren't good -- like caring for our loved ones -- but we obsess over things that must be done right now. We don’t allow ourselves time for reflection and prayer. We aren’t nourishing our souls and we will wither away over time.

The good and fertile soil represents someone who hears the Word of God and acts accordingly. This person spends time daily with God, listening for His direction. This person gives back and gets involved, refusing to delegate the task of living his faith to someone else.

Goodness does have a chance in this life, Pastor Rob said. But the dirt is hard and the road is difficult. What kind of farmer are you? Will God’s seeds find fertile soil in your heart?