Are you a Sower?
Who is a Sower?
In Matthew 13:3-9 we hear Jesus share a parable with the people about a sower. He begins by saying,
"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” ESV
At first glance, we understand that seed is being sown; some bears fruit and other does not. Each time we come to God's Word, we must remember that it is the living and active word (Hebrews 4:12). And so we ask, "What treasures can we discover as we linger and ponder it?" If we begin by asking the question, "Who?" we realize that Jesus is telling us a story about a sower. What do we learn about the sower? He sowed seeds.
Where did he sow seeds? He sowed along the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and on good soil.
When did he sow them? As he went. Wherever he was, he continued to sow seeds.
Why did he sow them? We know that some seeds fall to the ground and produce plants after their kind. There are other seeds—seeds of grains—that must be sown in order to grow into plants that will yield grain for food. One seed has the potential of bearing many grains. It contains the essence of life, and as it is sown into good soil and grows, new life will come from it.
A sower went out to sow. How did he sow? He had seed and tossed a handful of seeds out as he went. It doesn't seem to matter that he would have any credentials to sow, except that he knew the benefit of the sown seed to bring food and life. If the seed wasn't sown and just sat in a jar, it would not bring life.
We will look more closely at what Jesus says about the seed next time. As we seek to have a basic understanding of these few verses, we ask questions to learn about the people, the places, the events, and what we can learn about God. Jesus is sharing a parable, a simple story with a simple truth. How does he want His disciples to understand this story? He explains in Matthew 10:11-18 that He wants His followers to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. That is the context for our understanding.
With that in mind, we understand that we are the sowers in God's kingdom. He doesn't put restrictions on who can sow the seeds that bring life. He explains that a sower is someone who goes out with the purpose to sow as he goes, wherever he goes. Some seed with bring fruit; some will not. But the sower continues to sow. That is what he does.
We've read the verses, hopefully several times as we ask the questions and sought a plain sense understanding of them. God has spoken to us, and now we continue the conversation by responding to Him with what we understand:
Father God, thank You for having Jesus share this parable, and that it is available for us to learn, understand, and live out. Father, I realize that You have given me seed to sow; the message of the Gospel is what gives life, eternal life, to anyone who will receive it. Please help me to remember that I have this precious seed; not to store away, but to sow into others along my daily path. Please help me to know what to tell them about You and Your gift of new life, and give me the boldness to do it as often as I can. Please forgive me for not even thinking about sharing it with others sometimes as I get more focused on my day. Holy Spirit, Jesus said in John that You will bring to mind what Jesus said and taught (John 14:26). Please remind me through the day that I am a sower of the seeds of life; to invest in Your kingdom. Thank You for this amazing privilege that You have given me! May I be the best sower I can be, and may You be glorified through My life today. In Jesus' name I pray to You, Amen.
Who sowed the seed of the Gospel into your life? Would you mind sharing how it happened? Hearing how God works is always an encouragement!