But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” vs. 23
Matthew 13:18-23
Even though Jesus used parables to describe the Kingdom of God, most people did not understand what he was talking about… and the parable of the sower, as he explained it to his disciples, was a way to understand their mixed reactions. Some never even heard the proclaimed Word–it went in one ear and out the other. A few heard and tried to apply it, but soon lost interest. Some others heard with enthusiasm and seemed to “get it,” but ultimately wandered off to pursue their latest lust. Jesus’ first century description of reactions to the Word is a precise match for what happens in our culture when people hear the gospel. Not everyone is going to “get it,” and even when it appears they have, they really don’t. And no matter what we do to “gussy up” the word with song and dance, ultimately it won’t make any difference. But some people do hear and understand, and Jesus says that these folks make it all worthwhile. These are the 20 percenters who put our congregations on their backs and carry them through thick and thin, and their efforts are changing the world. So, rather than lament those who aren’t good soil, perhaps we should be celebrating those who are!
Thought for the Day: What kind of soil am I?
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