Submitted by Pastor Brad Dush, Fairfax Methodist Church

Scripture References: Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, Luke 8:4–15

Another parable that Jesus told, recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is the Parable of the Sower. If you have not read it recently, I encourage you to pause and read one of these passages before continuing. (FYI: This is one of the few parables Jesus later explains directly to His disciples, helping us understand the meaning of the images He uses.)

In the story, a farmer goes out to sow seed across his field. As he scatters the seed, it falls on several kinds of ground. Some fall along the path and are quickly eaten by birds. Some plants grow on rocky soil where they spring up quickly but wither because the roots cannot go deep. Other seed falls among thorns that grow up and choke the young plants. But some seed falls on good soil, producing a crop thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times what was planted.

(FYI: In the ancient world, farmers often scattered seed before plowing the soil. This meant that seed naturally fell on different kinds of ground within the same field.)

Jesus later explains that the seed represents the word of God, and the different soils represent the various ways people receive it. Many readers focus on identifying which soil best represents their own heart. That can be a helpful reflection, but there is another part of the story that is easy to overlook.

The sower keeps sowing.

He does not stop when some seed falls on the path. He does not hold back when seed lands among rocks or thorns. He scatters the seed everywhere, trusting that some of it will find good soil and produce a harvest far greater than what was planted.

This parable reminds us that sharing the good news of Jesus does not depend on knowing how every person will respond. Some will ignore it. Some will receive it for a moment and then walk away. Some will allow other concerns to crowd it out. But some will hear the word, receive it, and bear fruit beyond anything we could imagine.

Our calling is not to control the soil. Our calling is to sow the seed.

When we speak about Christ, share the hope of the Gospel, and live out our faith in everyday moments, we are scattering seeds of the Kingdom. The results belong to God.

So, we keep sowing. We keep telling the story of Jesus. And we trust that God will bring the harvest.