Then he told them 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.”. Matthew 13:3-9
Jesus sails out onto the water so that a large crowd of people can hear His voice better, then He tells them this famous parable. What do you think of it? I think it tells us a lot about ourselves. You probably know what He’s saying: how the seed is His Word, and the types of soil are our hearts and how they react to the fallen world. But I think it says something else about us.
It’s in the last verse. Of course we all have ears; of course the purpose of ears is hearing. But do we hear? Do we even choose to hear? I’m fully deaf in one ear; I can’t even choose to hear with it. Removing a tumor took the hearing in that ear several years ago. So I’m choosy about what I listen to with the other ear. I want to preserve the hearing there so I can be able to hear for the rest of my life.
Am I as choosy about what I listen to with my heart? I let myself run into useless arguments with people online even though I know better. I look to see things better left unseen. I share coarse jokes and coarse language, proving that I’m both human and hypocrite. I understand Paul’s plea when he says he’s a wretched man and that only Christ can rescue him from his body of sin. That’s me. Is it you? What kind of seed would grow in the soil of my sick heart?
And notice that Jesus says “let THEM.” It could be that Jesus was simply using proper grammar; Jesus didn’t cater to silly pronouns. BUT it could also mean that He knew He was talking to many people (because, in fact, He was, at the time). He understood that many would puzzle at the parable, but that THEY would need effort and close, choosy listening to listen for understanding. Jesus knew He was speaking to all of us, too. That we, like the group on the beach who listened to Him, would struggle with sin and struggle with growing faith in the soil of our tainted hearts.
For more read: Genesis 26:12, Romans 7:24, Matthew 13:10
Lord Jesus, forgive my sins again, and plant Your holy word deep in my heart
Practical Proverbs 