Bible Reading: Matthew 13:3-9
Jesus told many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear."
A Reflection
We had a large bare patch of ground at the top of our garden, so this spring I decided to sow some grass seed over it. Before I sowed the seed I carefully weeded the area, watered the ground, and loosened the topsoil so that the seeds could root. I then sowed the seeds as evenly as possible, carefully raked them in so they were covered over, and then watered them regularly. We now have some lovely green grass growing.
It surprises me, therefore, that the farmer in this familiar reading, known as the parable of the sower, scattered the seed he was sowing, seemingly randomly, some over a pathway that was trampled down hard, some over ground that was full of rocks, some over ground that was full of weeds and only some in good soil.
We normally interpret this parable in terms of the soil, and wonder which type of soil we might be and whether our lives might produce a good harvest. But what does it tell us about the farmer? He sowed the seed in three places where he was unlikely to produce a harvest and in only one place with any potential at all. To me, that seems like bad farming and quite wasteful.
So, if in this parable Jesus wanted to tell us something about the heart of God, what might that be?
To me it speaks of the amazing grace and bountiful generosity of our God. He pours out his many blessings on each and every one of us, regardless of whether or not we acknowledge them, or how we use them.
Later in the parable, Jesus tells us that the seed represents the word of God. He wants his gospel shared so that everyone has the opportunity to respond and enter the kingdom of God. The same is also true for the love of God, the forgiveness of God, the peace of God and for all of his many blessings.
God pours out his love, his forgiveness, his peace, and so many other blessings, in abundance. Let use rejoice in the abundant generosity of God and seek to replicate it in our lives. Let us also choose to receive them, and allow them to grow and produce an abundant harvest in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.
A Prayer
Almighty God, I could never fathom the depths of your love or the heights of your blessings, but I am truly grateful that you pour them out on me in abundance. Give me a generous heart, to share your blessings with those I will meet today and every day.
Amen
Behold the author of our salvation
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