ODJ: good ground
March 3, 2011
The seeds that fell on the good soil represent . . . people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest (v.15).
READ: Luke 8:11-15
At dusk, I left the house with a fistful of wildflower seeds. I crossed the street and tossed them into the open field adjacent to our home. I waited all summer for the flowers to bloom, but all that grew was a monster thistle bush, milkweed, and some prairie grass. Since then, I’ve learned a bit about gardening. I now know that my silly experiment was doomed to fail because seeds prefer soil that is moist, free of weeds, and deep enough to accommodate their roots. They need good ground.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus said that we are good ground for the gospel when we hear and understand God’s Word. While most people get the gist of the gospel, not everyone understands it. For example, recent studies show that many professing Christians don’t believe Jesus is the only way to eternal life. Our world wants us to be cool with Christ, as well as other religious leaders, teachings, and practices. That’s not what it looks like to understand the gospel.
Those of us who comprehend the good news and “cling to it” are supposed to bear fruit, patiently producing “a huge harvest” (Luke 8:15). Spiritually speaking, our lives should be characterized by Christlike righteousness (Philippians 1:11). Over a lifetime of experiences, our spiritual yield of righteousness should multiply. Jesus said, “When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples” (John 15:8).
We can consider ourselves good ground for the gospel if we understand that God sent His only Son to take the punishment for our sin, and that Christ alone is the way to eternal life (John 14:6). Then we can bear the fruit of a changed life—one that produces “thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted” (Matthew 13:23). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How have you changed since receiving Jesus as your Savior? Why are we sometimes satisfied with bearing just a little fruit? What should be our goal?
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