Wealth and Cares of the World...throw them away?
19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
(Mt 13:19-23)
Lets get this straight from the start. The Word of God spoken to us at Church, at home, by ministers or even unbelievers..(hey ! God can speak through donkeys right ?), is not the the source of being unfruitful. In fact ! we may not know this...but the devil does..that's why in verse 19, we see the devil stealing the seed that fell on the footpath...because he knows that God's Word is powerful and is a double edged sword...even the footpath can have cracks and the Word goes in and does a tranformation ! How many times we reject people just because they are hard nuts to crack ! This inspired me to realised hey instead of rejecting 75% of people in church, now we can have possible 75% more of growth.
1. Footpath - In Jesus' time, footpaths were probably not bitumen type. It was probably those dusty kind of paths or even pebbled / rock paved pathways. What we do know here is ...the surface is hard and unyielding. People can be like this..they have no place for God's word due to unbelieve, ignorance or just life has been unfair to them. Is that too hard for God to work...yes but not impossible ! I believe we just need to connect with people better. Do life with people ! get to know them on the surface and take a sincere interest in their interest..Listen for a change. Don't always be in the hurry to PREACH !...Love first. Be an active listener. Who knows, the more you do life with people, the more you grow too ! hey even unbelievers have spoken things to me that God used to make a difference in my life. Listening is respect and may open more doors because you took the effort to care.
2.Rocky Soil - They receive the Word but no stickability. Hey sometimes in our life too, we do have rocks in us too...Rocks not the granite kind...but habits, lifestyle, stubborness, things we like or dislike, etc..that stops us from accepting God's Word. The best example of all is the need to forgive...Many of us like to hang on to hate because we think it makes others feel worst than us but actually we are for worst not them. Its like drinking poison and thinking it will kill your enemy. It could even be the way we were brought-up. God is not saying He wants us to change or else ! ...NO ! He said, we need to give-up what is not healthy for us, so that He can BLESSED us even more ! I think here, proper pastoral care and discipleship can aid in people being positioned for more blessings ! Helping people to stick and go deeper. Remember Jesus asked Peter to go deeper to catch fish ?...I think Jesus could have done a more powerful miracle..example like causing fishes to fall from the sky ! haha or swim into shore...or appear from the ground !...but why did Jesus ask Peter to go deep ? it was not for Jesus' ...but it was more for Peter. Lets go deeper with Christ today and see the exceeding abundance of God !
3.Thorns - This are people are caught-up by the lure of wealth and cares of the world. Does this mean, we have to forget about making money and whatever pressures and stresses of life, we imagine they are not there ? Some Christians resort to telling themselves, these things are not real or they are a test of faith ! IS THAT IT ? What is so wrong about money ?
Actually there's nothing wrong. 1 Timothy 6:10, tells us the "love of money" is the root of all evil. Love is something close to the heart. That means instead of telling the rich to part with their wealth or the poor to give-up working because wealth gain's nothing...it is more of a matter of the heart - a matter of PRIORITY !. Matthew 6:33 tells us to put God and His Kingdom's purpose first in our hearts...no longer we work to be rich , but we gain a new purpose in life...God's pleasure and glory. Riches (true riches), salaries, bonuses are rightfully yours but no longer what you work so hard for ! You begin to trust God more...and realise Jehovah Jireh is Your FATHER !
What about those with cares? Family, children, marriage, education, car, house, debts, etc.. are cares of the world. Even if you live in the jungle you will be also find stresses too. These are real issues, people in the real world faces. Discipleship and pastoral care can guide people to trust God more by teaching God's word in faith and not to control. Best thing of all is not being a solve all problems super hero..but to be a brother that sticks with people and encouraged them to step-up.
Finally is the good soil. Good soil is good only because it is teachable, but it is a person that is abiding in Christ and obedient to His Word. To be willing and obedient to God is the key of eating of the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Don't let issues cloud your senses. Always always, keep yourself in God through prayer and constant meditations of God's Word. Be open. When fellowship is deeply entrenched in your life, that whatever you ask in His name, it will be done !
I pray that you will be blessed ..exceedingly abundantly according to the power that is at work in you ! That truely as you address the condition of your life, and be open to God...amazing things will happen for your good !
Luv Edwin
