Planting Seeds In Season
by Janice Meyer
Week of December 19, 2004
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:9, NIV)
Recently, I was thinking how the holidays create long, slow checkout lines. I dread the waiting as I do my last minute shopping for family and friends. Suddenly that quiet voice, that is really not all that quiet, spoke to my heart. He suggested a passage in Mark. After reading it I gained a new perspective of the impact we can have on people during this festive season. I want you to read what it says before I share my insight.
Mark 4
1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.
2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:
3 "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9 Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11 He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12 so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"
13 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
14 The farmer sows the word.
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (NIV)
One question came to my mind: How did their soil get to be the way it was? I believe the Lord brought the answer to my heart.
We are the ones who can prepare the soil of those we interact with. If we are unkind and rude to people, we trample their soil. It can become hardened like a well-worn path. If we cut someone off on the freeway, we may put a few thorns of anger in their soil.
If we are short tempered with the wait staff of a restaurant, we may be putting rocks in their path. Perhaps the way we treat others blocks the preparation of soil or stunts the growth of a seed, allowing the thief to steal the seed of love someone has planted.
On the other hand, we can help soften the soil of people’s hearts with kind, loving words. With merciful and considerate actions, we can help the soil of their hearts receive the seed when the next person plants a seed or word in season.
This Week
As we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s do some "plowing" with love that will prepare the soil for the planting of God’s incorruptible seed.
Prayer
“Lord, I don’t want to spend this holiday focused on me and oblivious to the needs of others. Open my eyes to the condition of the fields that need planting. Help me use every moment to plant love in the soil of people’s lives.“
Janice Meyer is the staff photographer at Life Outreach International. Janice
has travelled the world extensively photographing the mission outreaches.
