Seeds and God’s Word
Spring 2025
I’m starting to think about what I will plant in my garden this year. I know I want to have tomatoes and jalapeños for making salsa, some basil to use for pizza toppings, and kale for adding to smoothies.
I’ve had success with all of those before, but I’ve also attempted to grow various plants that have not turned out well. Some critters ate my bell peppers, my cucumbers got moldy, and my cilantro plant just died. Because I’m still very much a beginner gardener, I’m not really sure what happened to those plants. Maybe my soil wasn’t the best, maybe I watered those plants too much or too little, or maybe I should have protected them better from bugs and animals.
A parable
As I think about all the variables in planting and growing a garden, I’m reminded of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13 about a farmer sowing seeds. Jesus used parables, which are simple stories with a particular lesson, to help us understand more about how we should listen to God’s Word. Perhaps you could read Jesus’ story in Matthew 13:1–9 to find out what happened to the seeds and then come back here to see what Jesus wants us to learn.
Birds
First, some of the farmer’s seeds fell on the road and were eaten by birds. Jesus explained that this is similar to what happens when people hear God’s Word being read or preached but they don’t understand it, and then the devil comes immediately (just like the birds) and snatches it out of their heart. They never again think about the Word of God that they had just heard. They don’t even remember it. This happens when we’re distracted during our devotions or at church. When we’re thinking about or doing other things, the devil takes away God’s Word, and then later we don’t even know what we read or what was preached about. Let’s be careful to listen carefully so that we can say with the psalmist in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
Stony ground
Next, some of the farmer’s seeds fell into stony places where the soil was shallow, which means that their roots had little room to grow and were very small. As a result, when the sun came up, the plants got scorched and withered quickly. They didn’t have what they needed to become strong, healthy plants. Jesus explained that this is like people who enjoy hearing God’s Word in the moment, but when a hard time or persecution comes, they fall into sin. In those hard moments, following God doesn’t seem worth it, and, because they haven’t put in the effort to really learn God’s Word, they don’t rely on it to help them in the difficult times. Just enjoying hearing God’s Word isn’t enough. As James 1:22 reminds us, we must be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
Thorns
Then, some of the farmer’s seeds fell among thorns and because the thorns grew faster than the seed, they took all the water and blocked the sun from reaching the seeds, so that the seeds were choked and unable to thrive. Jesus explained that this is like people who hear God’s Word but then get busy with the things of this life and with the desire to gain more money in this world, completely forgetting about the importance of eternity and the things that truly matter. These people hear God’s Word, but then school, sports, games, their job, hobbies, movies, or something else seems to be more important, so they focus on those things instead. We must make an effort to meditate on God’s Word after we hear it and to treasure it. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:19–21, He reminds us, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth ... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Good ground
Finally, some of the farmer’s seeds landed on good ground. The soil had good nutrients, it had enough water, and there were no thorns or weeds so the seeds could grow deep, strong roots to support the plants and their fruit. Jesus shared that this was like the people who hear God’s Word, understand it, and their lives show that they have been changed. This won’t happen by accident, though. If we are to understand God’s Word and if our lives are to show fruit, then we must ask God for help. He promises to give us understanding so that we can really know His Word. We must memorize His Word and think about it often. We must watch out for the distractions and sins in our life (like the thorns and stones) and be ready to put God’s Word first over the things of the world.