A Devotion to Start Your Week
Posted by: David Bunch
I like the way The Message version of this parable reads because it challenges me. You see, every time I have read this passage or heard it taught in the past, I have prided myself in being the "good soil". No stinking birds are going to steal the seed from me. No hot noonday sun is going to char the soil of my life into no seed planting potential. But The Message makes it clear that if in fact I am the good soil, that only means that I have a huge responsibility.
This convicts me to my core because it is the essence of Christ's message and therefore the crux of the Gospel. I simply cannot ignore the fact that Christ has redeemed me so that I will produce something for His Kingdom. I must produce something for His Kingdom.
To whom much is given, much is required.
Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.
The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.
The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.
Matthew 13:18-23
I like the way The Message version of this parable reads because it challenges me. You see, every time I have read this passage or heard it taught in the past, I have prided myself in being the "good soil". No stinking birds are going to steal the seed from me. No hot noonday sun is going to char the soil of my life into no seed planting potential. But The Message makes it clear that if in fact I am the good soil, that only means that I have a huge responsibility.
The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.What?! So simply propping my feet up with my hands behind my head while waiting for seed to grow in what I happen to think is good soil in my life is not going to suffice? It is expected that the good soil is the person who hears, believes AND produces a harvest?
This convicts me to my core because it is the essence of Christ's message and therefore the crux of the Gospel. I simply cannot ignore the fact that Christ has redeemed me so that I will produce something for His Kingdom. I must produce something for His Kingdom.
To whom much is given, much is required.
