The Bible has a lot to say about sowing and reaping. In fact, it is a Biblical principle and an experiential reality that, “Whatever a man sows, this will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Three out of the four Gospels record Jesus telling a parable about a man who sowed seed on different types of ground (Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15). Most Christians are very familiar with the story, but it is worth hearing again.
The Parable of the Sower
A sower went out to sow. He sowed seeds that fell on four types of soil. Some fell on the roadside, others on rocky ground, others among thorns, and others on good soil. Jesus made different points about the different types of soil and how they corresponded to our lives by describing what happened to each seed in the different types of soil. The seed sown in good soil was the only seed to produce a harvest.
Lessons From The Soil
There are many lessons to be learned from this parable. The lesson we most often hear is that it matters what type of soil we are. We need to be good soil if our lives are to bear spiritual fruit. We need spiritual depth to be able to go through difficulties, and that worldly things can easily choke out the things of God in our lives. We also see the devil desires to take away God’s Word from our lives so we can’t be fruitful. Ultimately, we learn that even the best seed will not bear fruit in poor soil. All these are important lessons gleaned from this parable, and they are the lessons most familiar to us.
Lessons From the Sower
There is another lesson, however, that is not emphasized quite as much, but is equally important: the importance of the sower. Without a sower, there is no harvest. We often focus on the harvest, because the fruit is what is beautiful, worthwhile, and exciting to us. Seed is sown for the purpose of reaping a harvest, so it is natural for us to focus on the harvest. But there is never any harvest unless the seed is sown. The sower is essential.
Also, notice that the sower in the parable was not sowing just any type seed. Mark 4:14 says it unmistakably, “The sower sows the Word.” There are many people sowing many types of seed in our world today, but the seed that matters, the seed that needs to be sown, is the Word of God.
Finally, take note that the sower sowed the seed everywhere he went. He wasn’t concerned about running out of seed. He sowed broadly, indiscriminately. He knew that you can not always tell what the best soil will be, so he sowed the seed everywhere, trusting the Lord of the Harvest to cause the growth.
Be a Sower of the Seed
We must be good soil, but we also need to be good sowers! We must sow the word or there will be no harvest. We have the seed of the Word in inexhaustibly supply, so share it widely, broadly, and passionately. The first step of the harvest is the sowing of the seed.
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.