They aren't all going to grow.
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
I have done my share of planting seeds, fruit, vegetables and flowers of every variety, I can definitely tell you that not every seed that goes in the dirt is going to create a fruitful plant, you can plant the seed and apply the water but eventually you realize that your water is being wasted.
God knows about the perils of farming he knows that when he asks us to spread the seeds of the gospel that it is going to be productive in some places and that in other areas it isn't going to take. Still he commands us to spread the seed, we are not allowed to stay in bed and refuse to be farmers just because the soil isn't good, we need to see what we can do to improve the soil so that the seed will have a better chance. Sooner or later we will find some productive soil, maybe where we least expect it, and then the fruit will start popping out all over.
The tough questions that need to be asked are:
- Why isn't there any fruit?
- Am I sowing in poor soil or am I not sowing at all?
If I sow everywhere that I go then eventually there is going to be a crop, as the prophet Isaiah told God's people:
Isaiah 32:20 The LORD will greatly bless His people. Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up.
I need to be more in planting mode at all times, it is easy to make excuses for the lack of fruit, I can easily blame the lack of good soil for the lack of fruit, but I have been told to continue to improve the soil and cast out more seed.
I pray Lord that I will not give up on planting seeds, it is easy to give up when I see how hard the soil is but I must still be obedient and throw the seed out there.
