THE VOICE WITHIN

God gives His word to the whole world. But how do we respond to God’s word? Accordingly, they will produce different kinds of fruit. Once a great crowd came to hear Jesus. And He told them the parable of ‘The Sower and the Seeds’:

“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path and were trodden under foot, and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell on the rock and sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, they withered away because it had no moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.”

When his disciples asked him what this parable meant, Christ explained it thus:

“The seed is the word of God. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom of God and does not believe it, the devil comes and stches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

And the ones that fell on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but they have no root, they believe for a while and in times of temptation or persecution, they fall away.

As for the ones that fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word, believes and understands it. It is he who produces a bountiful crop.”

So just as the farmer scatters seed throughout his field, God gives His word to the entire world. Just as the seed cannot take root on the trampled and hardened path, God’s word is rejected by people with hearts hardened by pride and hatred. Just as the seed that falls on shallow soil wilts in the sun, some people’s faith is shallow. They are enthusiastic about God’s word until it becomes inconvenient or makes demands on them, and then they fall away. Just as the seed that falls among thorns is crowded out, God’s word can be crowded out by worries and pursuit of wealth. Just as the seed that falls on good soil yields a bountiful crop, God’s word is fruitful in people who listen, understand and obey.

Some may hear His word but reject it. Some may accept it but not act upon it. The lesson of this parable is that we must hear, accept and act upon God’s word. “Lord, faith in your word is the way to wisdom, and to ponder your divine plan is to grow in the truth.  May your word take deep root in my heart, that I may grow strong in love and live in the hope of your everlasting kingdom.”

— the harbinger