The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4 - Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching, he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 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. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 

From Family Handyman 9/25/24 - What does it mean to sow seeds? Sowing seeds simply means scattering them where they have a chance to germinate.

From the Cambridge dictionary - Sow the seeds of something; idiom to do something that will cause something to happen in the future

When I stop to think about it, it being in general terms, life is all about sowing and scattering seeds. As a child, I likened my infant self to rich, nutrient dense soil. Fresh, not tapped out from over planting. Seeds scattered from my parents, my older siblings, and eventually friends, school and the big world. Initially, I adapted to the climate of home and our family of five. I grew into a sensitive child, wanting to keep the peace. I did my homework and cleaned my room without needing to be told. 

The climate and conditions changed rapidly from grade school to middle school and growing conditions diminished dramatically. I no longer took in the nutrients and the seeds were plucked out by the birds of prey. Adolescence, fractured family and school changes. 

Moving into high school and another re-location, the soil had no depth and what had tried to grow, withered and died. 

As my life choices became self-destructive, the thorns choked out anything that represented life. There was no chance of growing or thriving in my thorn torn heart. 

Ah, but then the Son came out, my heart had been tilled and the seed scattered began to grow. Green, lush, healthy plants could grow. Buds burst into fragrant flowers and fruit began to appear. My sweet Mom could finally expel the breath she had been holding. 

She had scattered so many seeds. She carefully checked and made sure there was adequate water and nutrients, yet it seemed like nothing was changing. 

There are times when all of the effort, and the sweat equity seem to produce nothing. Sometimes we need to recognize and accept that the rock-strewn path is not going to allow anything to grow. When the birds outnumber the seeds, there will be no produce. Thorns will take over and choke out any life, and to keep scattering seeds is a waste. Sometimes, we have to move on…

Much of my life as a Christ follower has been scattering handfuls of seeds, year after year. Raising kids. Loving friends and family who do not share a love for Jesus. Student ministry for more than a decade was a tremendous amount of seed sowing. Did I see “trees” bursting with fruit? No. There were seasons of growth to be sure, yet more commonly, I simply didn’t know. The most visible fruit we ever witnessed was one of our youth group kids who went on to work with CRU, where she and her husband have served since graduating. 

I am called to scatter the seeds. In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul tells the Corinthians; I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 

Just as with Paul, I’m scattering seeds, others water and nurture the seeds, but it is God who makes it grow. 

Are you scattering the seeds God has given you or are they rotting next to a dusty Bible? We can hear the word, know the word and not scatter or sow. 

I have a cute little garden shed. Gardening tools, bags of soil, seeds gathered in the fall and various other garden items. If those tools, seeds and soil stay in the shed, nothing is going to be planted. If I do not move, put on my gloves and go to work, there will be no fruit. There will be no new life from what I have in my possession. 

Do you have the seeds of life in Christ? Are you scattering those seeds in the soil of the people God brings into your life? If not, why not? 

There can be no harvest without the seeds of life scattered. Others may water and tenderly care for the seed you plant, yet it is God who makes it grow.

Dust off the Bible, nurture the seeds in your own heart and go. There will be no harvest until we do.