Good Ground

“But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.” (Mark 4:20 CSB)

Jesus told a story about a farmer who scattered seed that fell on four kinds of ground: a hard-packed pathway, shallow and rocky ground, ground where there were lots of weeds, and ground that had been plowed and prepared. Seed that fell on the hard-packed pathway never had a chance, but the birds did. Seed on the shallow ground came up quickly but died just as quickly because the roots couldn’t get to the deep soil. Seed that came up with the weeds got choked out. The seed that fell on the good ground that was plowed and prepared produced a bumper crop.

Jesus later told His disciples that the seed represents the word of God, and the four kinds of ground represent the four kinds of responses people give when they hear it. Some folks are so hard toward it that it has no chance to have an impact. Some folks hear it enthusiastically for a while, but they turn away from it quickly because they do not allow it go deep into their lives. Some allow other concerns to have an equal priority, and ultimately these concerns choke out the word. But then, there are those whose hearts allow the seeds to put down deep roots into their lives, and those are the folks who truly see fruit produced in their walk with God.

There are two points to be made. First, this is just the way people are. There are degrees of responsiveness to the word of God. Second, people who want to see great fruit in their lives need to open their hearts to the word, let it go deep, and give it priority so as to not let anything choke it out.

So, where are you on this “one to four” scale?

Lord, Today may Your word sink roots deeper into our hearts that we may see the kind of fruit and the amount of fruit produced in and through us that brings honor to You. Amen.