What runs your head space during the day? What do you dwell on when you are alone with your thoughts? If you are anything like me you get caught trying to wade through the thoughts that trap you in a downward spiral and the thoughts that propel you to greater productivity and health. Reading through Matthew 13 made me stop and think a little more critically about a popular parable. I have read the parable of the farmer scattering seeds a bunch of times. This last time however I stopped as I read Jesus’ explanation. Jesus begins breaking down the different soils and what they represent and then got to seed that fell among the thorns. Matthew 13:22 “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.” If I am honest with myself, I often get derailed by my own selfishness. You might be able to resonate with the idea of getting so consumed with worry and anxiety that your focus is fully on yourself. If you are like me the thought of making money is alluring on a few different levels. There is comfort that comes from wealth, or maybe it’s not even wealth but just having more money. I find myself thinking about how I can make more money so that my family can have more. All of the sudden it hits me. Seeds continue to grow into the plant they were meant to be until that plant dies. You are probably a lot smarter than me and figured that out a long time ago but for me this was a different revelation. The seed of my life is growing and the soil has the ability to change depending on the season. The season of life you find yourself in and how you think about it informs your focus. Your season of life could be one where it feels easy to turn your back on your faith in God because of situations, relationships or doubt. Your season of life could be one where you are excited about ministry and pumped to be working in the church but then it starts to get hard, people are messy and it makes you want to give up. Your season of life could be one where your worry about whats happening around you totally claims your focus and you begin to disregard what was once so important to you. Jesus saves the explanation of the seed that fell on good soil for the end. It’s almost like he knew that people would identify with one of the other three seeds before he got to the end. The seed that fell on the good soil truly hear and understand God’s word, dwell on it, make it part of who they are and produce exponentially more crops than they should have otherwise. You can control the soil. You have every opportunity to take every thought captive and eliminate the thoughts that will send you to the rocky, the thorn filled and the trampled soils life offers. You can decide what type of environment you want your life (seed) to be immersed in. Surround yourself with people who provide sunlight and water to the soil your life is planted in. Find someone who can provide the fertilizer, usually a little smelly but always needed for healthy plants. More importantly, have a death grip on God’s word and the promises He has made for you. Hold so tightly that nothing can pry your figures off of them. I am thankful for those of you ministering at your church, discipling others and helping the soil for other seeds to flourish.
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