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Years ago a professor agreed to teach a class in astrophysics, but only two students signed up. Despite that, for their sake, he commuted 100 miles twice a week to teach them. Ten years later, both students won Nobel prizes for physics. The professor’s teaching fell on good ground. Jesus related a parable about a farmer whose seed fell on four kinds of soil. He then explained that the soil is the human heart and the seed is God’s word. Some seed falls on hard soil. These people hear God’s word, but let the devil snatch it from their hearts. Some fall on rocky soil. They gladly receive God’s word, but when trouble comes, they fall away. Some seed falls on thorny soil, but the cares of life, the pursuit of money and material possessions distract them so much that God’s word does not reproduce inside of them. Still others have hearts of good soil. They hear His word, accept it, and act on it. They bear plenty of fruit that honors God and benefits people. Jesus ended this parable by saying, wise people examine their soil, their hearts—they make sure they are not so busy pursuing pleasure, possessions, and power that they ignore God’s word for us. Rather, they realize that one day God will call them to account for their lives. God will look for our harvest, but we can produce only if we are joined to Him by faith in Jesus Christ.
