The Scattering of Seed
When Jesus lived on this earth, He told many stories. The stories all had very important meanings and were called Parables. Here is one such story.
A sower went out to sow seeds, and as he scattered them some were blown by the breeze on to the road. When the birds saw the seeds lying there, they flew down and ate them. Other seeds fell on stony places, and began to grow, but the soil was so shallow that the plants soon withered and died. Some seeds fell in thorny places, and the thorns grew so fast that they choked the good seeds. But the seeds weren’t all wasted: many of them fell on good ground. There they sprouted-up and sent their roots into the rich soil. Eventually they grew into many, many stocks of good grain.
The disciples were puzzled by this story that Jesus told, and later on they asked Him to explain what He meant. Jesus explained like this:
“The sower,” He said, “is the person who speaks the Word of God. The different kinds of soil represent the ways people act when they hear God’s message. Those who hear it and do not try to understand are like the road where the seeds fell. Just as the birds flew down and ate those seeds, the devil comes and snatches away the message that they have heard. Those who listen gladly to God’s word, but do not obey are like the stony places. The seeds fall, but do not grow, because they cannot take root in stony places. Those who believe God’s Word in their heart, but allow troubles or pleasures to crowd it out, are like the soil where the thorns choked-out the good seeds. But those who hear and obey God’s Word are like the good ground. Here the seeds fell, sprouted, grew into stocks and produced much good grain.”
I do trust, boys and girls, that you will desire to have hearts like the good ground, and as you grow up day-by-day the seed of the Word of God will also grow, day-by-day, in your heart, and that you will obey all its truth.