“The seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.” (Matt.13:23)
Expanded Passage: Matthew 13:1-23
“We have apples,” my children shouted, as they ran out of the woods.
“No way,” I yelled back. “I didn’t know we even had an apple tree!” I leaped up and asked my children to show me the fruit. Sure enough, as we came upon the tree, we discovered eleven apples ripe for the picking.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus acknowledged that some seed may fall by the wayside and be snatched away by the birds; some seed may fall on the shallow ground and never come to maturity; and some seed may fall among the thorns and be choked to death. Yet in spite of all that, the harvest does come. Farmers know quite well that some seeds will not make it, but that does not stop them from believing in the potential of every seed. The farmer sows in confidence that, even if some seed is wasted, fruit will come.
Here lies the encouragement within Jesus’ parable. When we sow the seed of God’s truth, we do not know how every seed will turn out, but this should not deter us from sowing again and again. It is our task to sow the seed, and we must leave the rest in God’s hands. We live in an age that looks for quick results, but you never know when a seed is ready to produce fruit.
Sow a seed of God’s grace in someone’s life today.
Ed Love serves as the executive director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church and as an adjunct professor at Wesley Seminary (IN). He has been active in ministry for more than twenty years.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
