Vegetable Transplanter

Matthew 13: 18 says, “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²²The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Observation: We see Jesus using 4 possible scenarios for the growth or destruction of a person and their walk with God-Seed sown along a path, rocky place, thorns, and good soil. Each one has a consequence. The only good consequence seems to be word that is sown on the good path. For anyone who is a farmer or planter this all makes perfect sense. I am from New Mexico so I really understand the first three scenarios. It’s hard to plant in New Mexico! Now I live in Florida, and it seems like anything grows in Florida. Weird!

Application: If you are reading this you are probably on a good path to strengthening your faith and walk with God, maybe not all but it would seem that most would be. So what is our application for this passage. Transplant! Become a vegetable transplanter. When you seed good seed that is sown in a bad place you will have the opportunity to take that seed from the bad soil and transplant it to good soil. Take it out of the weeds, rocks, and thorns, and get it rooted in good soil on the good path.

Prayer: God, show me the seed that has fallen along the road so that I can invest in them and help get them to good soil!