"The one sown on the good ground–this is the one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown." Matthew 13:23
I've been doing a lot of gardening here at the orphanage this month. It's not my preferred form of ministry as I'd rather be in the streets healing the sick, or somewhere with people that I can share the gospel with and demonstrate the power of God to. It seems at times that God removes us from our strengths, pulls us away from our gifts, and teaches us new things which allow us to become strengthened in the weaker areas of our lives. This month through gardening(not one of my spiritual gifts) God has taught me a lot about Him and a lot about the life of being a follower of Christ.
I was talking to one of my teammates Matt last week about seeds, specifically corn seeds as we do a lot of work in the corn fields which Africans call maize fields. It's amazing that something so small can produce something so big, and continue to produce seeds that reproduce more crops and more seeds etc, etc. It's really amazing to take something so small and watch it grow and grow into something that we can eat, and plant to grow again once more. The continuous cycle over and over of a product harvested, and seeds sown.
God has really put on my heart to seek out answers in the bible this year. What He has specifically put on my heart is to know nothing else really but His word, and to read nothing else this year. I originally planned to bring a NOOK on the race and download numerous christian books and commentaries. The Lord in His wisdom one day before the race, challenged me. He said "it's interesting that you plan to read all of these other books, yet you don't even know enough of my word to live your life in a reflection of it." Needless to say I was convicted and realized that God was right(which He always is) and so I decided not to bring any other book or read any other book this year but my bible. It truly is amazing what you will learn when you actually spend time reading the Word. God always wants to speak to us, yet we are the ones who don't make the effort or take the time to converse with Him. This is a relationship, communication shouldn't occur occasionally between both sides, it should be a continual and daily experience. The more time I spend with my Father the more I become like Him, and the more that He speaks to me and teaches me.
In reading through the book of Matthew today I stumbled on a familiar parable, "the parable of the sower." A lot of us have heard this parable in Matthew 13, its the one about the sower sowing seeds that fell on the good soil, the rocky soil, and seeds that fell along the path. Most of time when we hear this parable, we focus on the soil that the seed is being sown into. God really opened my heart today with a simple question, "Well what about the sower?"
The interesting part of this story is that the soil wouldn't even matter if there wasn't a sower who sowed seeds. I understand the emphasis of sowing on good ground, yet I think at times we use this as a cop out so we don't have to sow very many seeds. I don't know about you, but I know I don't walk around looking at people wondering if they are a path, rocky soil, or good ground before I talk to them and love them. To be honest I don't walk around thinking about good or rocky ground at all, I just sow seeds! I fully understand that the Holy Spirit can lead us to speak to and witness to specific people who are ready and willing to accept the gospel. However, I know for me personally if someone who have looked at me 3.5 years ago and wondered if I was good or bad ground before they sowed, I wouldn't be writing this blog. Who decides what kind of soil they are?
What I'm talking about is sowing seeds everywhere we go. I heard someone say one time that they want to be an automatic seed sower and sprinkle seeds everywhere they go. This is what I live for. Everyone I meet gets a dose of Jesus, everyone gets a dose of love! I don't look for fertile soil, I just look for people to love. If they have breath in their lungs then that is evidence enough for me that God created them for a purpose and destiny and that it's my privilege to sow a seed of love into their heart. Who am I to pick and choose who I show love to? Honestly. I don't know what your bible says, but mine says that one person sows, one waters, and it's GOD who produces the increase(paraphrase 1 Corinthians 3:6). We are often distracted running around trying to save souls and bear the responsibility of reaping a harvest. You know what gardening here in Swaziland has taught me? You can't harvest something that isn't ready to reap. Often we try to harvest a seed that has yet to even be watered! We plant a small seed and try to reap a harvest immediately. Thats like a child running a marathon before they learn to walk, it makes no sense, at all. Yet many of us christians try to persuade people to say our prayer so they can make it to heaven….
This is what I've learned. It says "But the one sown on the good ground–this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what is sown." Without being a good sower, you'll never see an increase. God has freed me of the responsibility of saving every soul I meet….really. "Well Andy that sounds awful rebellious, what kind of christian doesn't think they need to save souls?" Thats not what I'm saying, what I am saying is my responsibility isn't saving every soul that I meet, it's loving every person that I meet. If you focus on the soul rather than the person, you'll miss it every time. Why? Because winning souls comes through people experiencing the love of their Father, not a person trying to check a box in life, add to a number to their belt, or convincing someone to say a prayer. Yes proverbs says that a man that wins souls is wise(Proverbs 11:30) but Jesus says "love one another just as I have loved you.… By this people will know that you are one of my disciples."(John 11:34-35) People will never want what we have if we don't reflect who He is! The first step to being a soul winner is to sow seeds, clearly. But make sure that when you are sowing seeds, they are seeds of love and nothing less. If you want to grow corn you don't sow pumpkin seeds, so why do christians sow any other seeds than love and still expect to harvest christians? Makes no sense. Be a sower of seeds, and watch God produce the increase.
