The Parable of the Sower! Part Four

“Let us examine our ways, test them, and return to the LORD.” Lamentations 3:40

When we consider the spiritual life, it is natural to think of it as a field in which we sow good seeds and reap a rich harvest. But this is not always the case. Remember, our spiritual aims may be beyond the comprehension of our conscious minds, and our toils may yield little or no reward. Why is this so? Before we look into the parable of the good soils in our next episode of the Sower, let us first examine three things that may bring failure to the Sower’s efforts. And these are inattention, lack of reflection, and incapacity to stand the test.

The seed that fell on a footpath can be related to inattention or carelessness. One of the main reasons the seed failed to produce fruit was inattention by the Sower. The Sower was careless and paid no attention to what he was doing. He was not mindful of what was happening around him and did not consider the conditions necessary for the seed to grow. Likewise, inattention to our spiritual aim or personal growth on our part accounted for the failure to produce fruit. Therefore, reflect on shortcomings and how they prevent you from making progress.

2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Every seed must be planted with hope for growth because hope gives us the desire to expect. And expectation brings reflection while reflection brings improvement. If we don’t have a plan to reflect on our dream, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of conformity. Seeds on rocky ground are a metaphor for people who have a wish and wash attitude. This means they do not take the time to think about what they are doing, and as a result, they fail. The parable of the Sower is an account for failure, which teaches that people who do not take the time to think about their actions will not succeed.

And finally, the seeds that fell among thorns and were choked can be related to incapacity to stand the test. The truth is that many people fail because they cannot handle adversity. Even when God instructed us that the Sower’s efforts failed due to inattention, lack of reflection, and incapacity to stand the test and avoid such situations, many people still conformed to failure. But, brethren, we can learn from these mistakes and apply them to our own lives to achieve success. Let us all be attentive, reflective, and resilient sowers so that our efforts will bear fruit. Amen. Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Amen.

Prayer:
1. Psalm 51:10 – Oh Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.
2. Holy Spirit, help me examine my ways in my life and my motives for doing what I do so that I may better understand God’s purposes for my life.
3. Help me, oh Lord, to be attentive, reflective, and resilient over all things so that my efforts will not be wasted in Jesus’ name. Amen.