The Parable of the Sower
The problem with thinking we know a story, is we stop listening. The point of a parable is it provides something to grapple with – so it may change us, as our listening goes deeper. That is, if we do take time to really hear it. At 1st glance a parable is a simple story. But there’s always an unexpected twist to disturb pre-conceived ideas.
Any farmer or gardener knows seed is precious, but the farmer in Jesus' parable of the sower is shockingly careless with the seed. He scattered it all over the place, instead of broadcasting it carefully on the best soil of the field. What farmer wastes seed like that? That’s the first shock. But there was more. Jesus’ hearers looked forward to God’s kingdom coming on earth. The prophets spoke of God sowing his field and bringing in the harvest – a picture of God rescuing his people. But Jesus’ story wasn’t what his hearers expected to hear. It wasn’t about God sowing Israel in its own land and restoring the nation’s greatness. Instead they heard of failures of sowing: the seed on the well-trodden path gobbled up by birds; the seed on rocky ground scorched by the sun because it has no roots; and the seed choked among thorns. Only some fall on good soil and produce varying amounts of grain.
Why would God let his Word fall on unproductive ground? Is it because God's teaching is for all, not just for some? Is it because God's grace and mercy is for all, not just those best prepared or most deserving? I wonder how we might share the seed of God’s Word extravagantly, indiscriminately, not judging which people or places are worthy or most likely to be receptive? Remembering that good seed can sprout in unlikely places like through concrete or tarmac?
Some of the seed in Jesus' parable falls on earth paths trodden hard. We might think of such ground as the down trodden peoples of the world; as nations where there’s no freedom, as groups in society that are discriminated against, as adults and children dying of starvation. In such situations, evil can flourish. Before God's good seed can take root, the soil has to be dug up, loosened – so the air of freedom and water of encouragement can circulate, and the plants can send down roots. In these situations, sowing the seed involves preparing the ground by feeding the hungry, working for social justice, campaigning against corruption and oppression.
The rocky ground may remind us of people who are dead inside – unable to receive God’s love because their spirits have been damaged by past hurts or abuse. On the surface, they may seem fertile ground – but may self-destruct, as tender roots of God’s good news come into contact with the hardness beneath. Long, patient preparation is needed, before the Gospel seed can deeply root: breaking down hard rock, clearing stones, enriching with the new topsoil of unconditional love, compassion and acceptance.
The thorny ground may remind us how life is for many. People often lead busy lives, crowded with demands, distractions and temptations, from work, from social life, from the media and the internet, from within the family. There’s no space for the Gospel seed, the Word of God, to take root, no space to listen to Jesus. It’s no good just hacking at ‘weeds’ when they show above the ground, while leaving roots to re-sprout. We need to dig deeper, into the fabric of society, and help clear the roots from which these social weeds like injustice and racism spring. For some people the lockdowns of the Covid 19 pandemic crisis have provided time and space to reflect more deeply. How might we continue to make those times of peace and freedom from demands as we gradually emerge from lockdown? In order to allow God's kingdom to take root a few seeds at a time, and for the crop - the 'harvest of the kingdom' to bear fruit?
The good soil speaks of those who hear the word, respond to it and bear fruit. "Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." The fact that a harvest happens at all has a miraculous quality to it – a surprise meant to make us think of God’s kingdom. It comes back to the central message that Jesus preached and the main point of this parable that in spite of all the odds against, God’s kingdom will come. His word does and will bring forth fruit. Our efforts may seem small, our results unspectacular. Sometimes we are the hard, weed-choked or rocky soil. But where God is at work, nothing can prevent a glorious harvest, even in unlikely places.
Why would God let his Word fall on unproductive ground? Is it because God's teaching is for all, not just for some? Is it because God's grace and mercy is for all, not just those best prepared or most deserving? I wonder how we might share the seed of God’s Word extravagantly, indiscriminately, not judging which people or places are worthy or most likely to be receptive? Remembering that good seed can sprout in unlikely places like through concrete or tarmac?
Some of the seed in Jesus' parable falls on earth paths trodden hard. We might think of such ground as the down trodden peoples of the world; as nations where there’s no freedom, as groups in society that are discriminated against, as adults and children dying of starvation. In such situations, evil can flourish. Before God's good seed can take root, the soil has to be dug up, loosened – so the air of freedom and water of encouragement can circulate, and the plants can send down roots. In these situations, sowing the seed involves preparing the ground by feeding the hungry, working for social justice, campaigning against corruption and oppression.
The rocky ground may remind us of people who are dead inside – unable to receive God’s love because their spirits have been damaged by past hurts or abuse. On the surface, they may seem fertile ground – but may self-destruct, as tender roots of God’s good news come into contact with the hardness beneath. Long, patient preparation is needed, before the Gospel seed can deeply root: breaking down hard rock, clearing stones, enriching with the new topsoil of unconditional love, compassion and acceptance.
The thorny ground may remind us how life is for many. People often lead busy lives, crowded with demands, distractions and temptations, from work, from social life, from the media and the internet, from within the family. There’s no space for the Gospel seed, the Word of God, to take root, no space to listen to Jesus. It’s no good just hacking at ‘weeds’ when they show above the ground, while leaving roots to re-sprout. We need to dig deeper, into the fabric of society, and help clear the roots from which these social weeds like injustice and racism spring. For some people the lockdowns of the Covid 19 pandemic crisis have provided time and space to reflect more deeply. How might we continue to make those times of peace and freedom from demands as we gradually emerge from lockdown? In order to allow God's kingdom to take root a few seeds at a time, and for the crop - the 'harvest of the kingdom' to bear fruit?
The good soil speaks of those who hear the word, respond to it and bear fruit. "Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." The fact that a harvest happens at all has a miraculous quality to it – a surprise meant to make us think of God’s kingdom. It comes back to the central message that Jesus preached and the main point of this parable that in spite of all the odds against, God’s kingdom will come. His word does and will bring forth fruit. Our efforts may seem small, our results unspectacular. Sometimes we are the hard, weed-choked or rocky soil. But where God is at work, nothing can prevent a glorious harvest, even in unlikely places.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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