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| Photo by Stephen Ray |
“Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. As he scattered the
seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate
it up. Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds
soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. But when the sun came up, it
burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the
plants soon dried up. Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up
and choked the plants. But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore
grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty.”
Matthew 13:3-8
Which seed
am I? As I read the parable of the sower, I realized that at one time or
another my faith has been like each of those seeds.
In elementary
school I went over to the fire hall after school on Wednesdays for Good News
Club. I remember signing a “decision” card (like the one in the photo) saying I “received Christ” on a
particular date. To be truthful, I had no idea what that meant and therefore
never followed through on it. At that time my faith was like the seed that the
birds immediately ate up.
As a
teenager, I attended Confirmation classes for three years, and was immersed in
the folk mass movement of the late sixties. However, I kept my faith on the
surface, never allowing it to really sink in. The seeds of faith planted during
those years never really took root.
What are the
weeds of my life that choke out faith? Material possessions can sap my time and
energy—houses require cleaning, clothes must be washed, meals need prepared,
computers and phones entail upgrades, etc, etc.
Relationship
drama can get a strangle hold on me—drama between co-workers, family members,
friends, church members, team players, etc.
And then
there are my emotional needs that crowd in—the need to be accepted, to be
liked, to be needed, to be wanted, to be affirmed, to be appreciated, to be
recognized.
If I let
them, these things can squeeze the life out of my relationship with God.
But many
seeds of faith have taken root and grown and produced more seeds. There is
nothing quite as exciting as sharing Christ with another person and seeing
their faith take root. When God uses me to scatter seeds of faith in someone
else’s soul, it is such an awesome experience. It feeds and waters my own
faith.
We can all
sow seeds of faith—in conversations, in teaching situations, in blog posts, in
letters and cards—the opportunities are endless.
Where do you
see yourself in Jesus’ parable of the sower? In what ways has God led you to
sow seeds of faith?
Be
encouraged!
Pam
©2015 Pamela D. Williams
