April 2, 2020
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
“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.” (Luke 8:15)
When I was in high school I took four years of vocational agriculture in which I learned many practical skills. One of the things I learned was how to evaluate different types of soil. Our teacher would take us to different locations in the county that had differing soil types and depth. We would dig a hole and then he would explain the characteristics of the different soil types. I still remember how to take a clod of soil and break it into smaller pieces to look for the evidence of clay, sand, etc. We did not determine the soil type by evaluating the productivity or health of past or existing crops but were trying to predict how the soil type would affect its ability to produce a crop. Based on our evaluation sometimes we would classify the land as only good for wildlife due to shallow and rocky soil and others as good for rangeland or for planting crops.
Jesus, who created the entire cosmos and all that is in it including the soil, told a parable to his disciples about the characteristics of different types of soil and its ability to produce a crop. He told them that only what he called good soil would produce an abundant crop. So what is the characteristics of good soil? The scriptures above tell us that he explained that what he was really talking about is the condition of our hearts. What will be the result of his words when he sows them onto humanity? Those who he called good soil are those who have a good and noble heart and when they hear his words they understand them, retain them and by perseverance produce an abundant harvest.
It seems to me that I have a choice as to what type of soil that I will be. God my Father has given me the ability to hear his voice but it is my choice as to whether I will gain understanding from him and then persevere in faith to see it produce a harvest.
We tend to fear what we cannot control and predict. We cannot control the effect of the present worldwide coronavirus pandemic. Our best efforts may limit its effects but we cannot control it.
Several years ago when my first wife was dying due to a recurrence of breast cancer we held onto the words that God our Father had spoken to us such as “He keeps in perfect peace those who are steadfast in him”. Even though we could not control the cancer in her body or predict its outcome we were at peace because of our Father’s love for us because “perfect love cast out all fear”. People would ask us what we thought would be the outcome and I learned to say “We do not speculate on what we do not know but rather focus on what we do know, that God is good and that his love endures forever and that never will he leave us or forsake us”. She ultimately died but the word of God spoken to me during that time is still producing an abundant harvest because I preserved by faith that God cannot lie and that he will honor his word.
What has God spoken to you? Will you join me in listening to his voice, understanding what he speaks, retain it and then persevere by faith to see it produce a harvest? God our Father is good and his love endures forever.
Blessings,
Kevin