Even “Good” Soil Varies

Matthew 13:8 is a parable that is used quite frequently to talk about evangelism. Which it should be since that is what it is about. After years of reading this verse and hearing it in multiple sermons I saw something the other day that I never really noticed before. Something that I knew was there, but it never really stood out. Something that is so basic I’m a little embarrassed to share it with the public. Let me back up a little before I share this with you. Right now I am reading, “The Me I Want To Be” by John Ortberg in this book he shares with us that God made us a certain way with gifts talents and personalities. When God changes us, He changes our heart and mind, but He doesn’t change the “raw material” we don’t become something we’re not. (This is a very basic and brief synopsis, and I’ve only read the first 2 chapters so don’t rely on what I just wrote to start making arguments about it, there’s a lot more to it. I’ve only shared what is necessary to make my point.) Here’s my point, in the second half of verse 8 it says this about seed that fell on good soil, “…yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” Now wait! This is describing seed that fell on good soil. Yet some yielded 100 and some 30? Then it hit me! It’s okay! Just keep throwing seed, don’t worry about why your results aren’t as good as the other guys. We’re not here to compare anyway! Good seed thrown on good soil doesn’t always yield the same results. What causes the results to fluctuate so much? I don’t know, maybe my personality isn’t right, maybe their attitude isn’t right at that moment. All I can do is be me, and keep throwing seed. If you have felt like you’re not getting the results you should, don’t worry about it! Are you still throwing seed? Because I believe that as long as you’re throwing out that seed, you’re a success. (For those of us who now think we just got a lesson on farming I’m sorry. The seed is God’s Word and the soil would be those we minister to. But hey I’m sure this all works for corn too.)

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