The Parable of the Soils: Board Chaplain Reflections

Remember the story Jesus tells about the different soils?

Can you remember the four types?

He mentions soil that is hard, a type that is shallow and rock-filled, the fallow soil left unattended, and good soil.

His disciples question Him as to why He spoke in parables.

He responds, not everyone is interested in spiritual truth, understanding into the divine mysteries is only granted to those whose hearts are open to it. Many good men of the past have longed to see what the disciples saw and to hear what they heard. Some were moved closer and others moved further away by the words.

Some looked without seeing, some heard without listening, or they glanced without really focusing; they hear without considering., and Isaiah said it would be like this. 

Their hearts are dull.

He explains, the seed is the word of the Kingdom. Perhaps we should consider the fullness of the many ways people encounter or experience the Word, who is Christ.

Scripture reading, studying, meditation, the preaching of sermons, acts of providence, testimony of the saints, in our communion and baptism, acts of Goodness by the saints and songs, hymns and spiritual songs from thankful hearts, experiencing nature—these are ways we can know and experience the Word introduced in John’s Gospel, Jesus Christ.

In the past I tended to think of the soils and describing the state of a person, either all hard or all shallow and rocky, unattended, or good.  But Paul states we are God’s field. My aggie friends tell me that it’s not uncommon the find a variety of soils in one field,  and this helps me understand why in my life some seed planted has produced fruit and some remains exposed to the enemy; some is received with enthusiasm, but short-lived and some gets chocked off and some sits there exposed on the surface.

No single person is a single kind of soil at a single time.

We may be different depending on our season of life, but as any farmer will tell you: there is always work to be done.

Instead of being discouraged, I’ve learned that some of the soil of my life needs more attention; the shallow soil needs rocks removed. Some of this work I can do myself, others require I get help for, but all is done by God’s grace and strength alongside me.

The hard soil requires me willing to break up my fallow ground. I need to attend to those issues that would grow up and choke off the seed from becoming fruit. 

Even the good soil needs nurturing.

So there is always work, as we garden our own soils, following the Word who shows us how, and always helps us with grace and immeasurable kindness.

Thank you, gracious Gardener God, for never giving up on the soil.

What a joy, to be earth-made-flesh, working the earth of our own sanctification alongside You.

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Photo credit: Gabriel Jimenez via Unsplash.