Good Soil

Mark 4:3-9

“Listen! Behold, a Sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty-fold and sixty-fold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

February 22, 2022

I never have been much of a gardener, but I know a garden needs good soil. Since becoming an adult, no garden of mine has been much larger than an eight by ten foot plot. Of late, it has been a four by four foot plot.  Yet, during my attempt to grow plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, squash and even a pineapple (yes, I kept a pineapple plant alive for 2 years in the Tennessee climate – a pineapple plant which never yielded its fruit), I discovered I need to maintain diligent care over my garden. Overnight, weeds would sprout and my garden could easily be overrun. Therefore, every morning, I would do my best to go remove even the smallest signs of weed growth.

In today’s passage, Jesus talks about a farmer who went out to plant seeds. Of course, back then, gardening/farming was not the production that it is today. Like today, the farmer would till up the ground. However, instead of carefully planting the seeds a specific distance apart as we would do today, the farmer would carry his sack of seeds over his shoulder and reaching his hand into the sack, he would pull out a handful of seed and cast it over the ground. The result would be that some of the seed would fall upon the ground he had prepared. While other seed would fall upon ground that was not ready for the seed or the soil was ill suited for the seed.

In following up with the disciples, explaining the parable at their request.  Jesus offers that the soils are the people who hear the word of God. Some people are obstinate, not allowing the soil to penetrate and what they have heard is easily taken from them. Others, due to things in this life either fall away or drift away. Finally, there are those who hear, receive and share as well.

You know this story most likely. Many of us have heard it throughout our lives. I am not asking which soil you are, because most of us want to be the good soil. Notice though, that the good soil was where the farmer had tilled. I wonder how many of us willingly spend time and effort on our gardens, but we spend no time and effort on ourselves in preparation to receive the word of God – time in prayer, study and service to others. This includes sharing the Word of God amid our fears. If you are not doing any of these things, you may be a different soil than you hope.