By Sheila Barnett
Growing up on a farm in Iowa taught me a few things about soil. I learned that soil is actually a living system, providing the necessary nutrients for plant growth. I also learned that soil has to be carefully and correctly prepared prior to planting any seeds in order for a crop to grow. Recently, I discovered that scientists have identified over 70,000 different types of soil in the U.S.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain Jesus’ description of four different types of soil: hard soil, rocky soil, thorny soil, and good soil. Each one represents a specific condition of the human heart; in other words, a person’s degree of readiness to hear and accept the word of God.
Jesus taught this lesson though His parable of the farmer and the seed by describing a farmer sowing seeds. If the seed falls on hard soil, like a path, the birds will carry it away. “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” (Mark 4:15 NIV) If the seed falls on rocky soil, it sprouts quicky but has no roots for water. When the sun appears, the plant withers and dies. “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing, they fall away” (Luke 8:13 NIV). The seed that falls among the thorns can also sprout, but the weeds choke and kill the plant. “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:18 NIV). If the seed falls on good soil, it will produce a large crop. “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 NIV).
Is the “soil” of our hearts always in good condition? Are we always prepared to hear and apply the word of God to our lives? Or, do we sometimes let our hearts become crowded with worries or desires for worldly things, thus choking out what God’s word is telling us? Does our faith ever wither and die because we choose to believe that God does not have our best interests in His mind when circumstances make our lives difficult? Have we ever allowed our hearts to become so hardened that we don’t hear what God is so desperately trying to tell us?
It stands to reason that God must want us to carefully cultivate the “soil” of our hearts, since Jesus’ parable of the farmer and the seed is found in three books of the Bible. So, how can we humbly prepare our hearts to create the “good” soil that will “produce a crop”? As we read and meditate on the Scriptures, we can pray to have a receptive heart; one that understands and retains God’s word. We can also ask God to show us how to apply His word in our daily lives. Spending time in fellowship with other believers, attending a church that teaches from the Bible, and participating in a Bible study are additional ways to help us produce “crops” in our lives. The Bible also refers to this as “bearing fruit” or “being fruitful”. Helping others, sharing the gospel of Jesus, obeying the word of God instead of following what the world tells us to do are all examples of producing “fruit” in our lives. In this way, we remain faithful to God and glorify Him by maintaining good soil in our hearts and producing crops of good works.
Dear Jesus, help me to keep “good soil” in my heart so that I am always ready to hear and apply Your word to my life.
(References: Matthew 13: 1-23, Mark 4: 1-20, Luke 8:4-15)