Christian Living

WHAT KIND OF SOIL AM I?

by Ramona Cook 
06/26/24
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WHAT KIND OF SOIL AM I?

In Mark’s report of the activities of Jesus’ ministry on Earth, Jesus tells to many hearers a parable. That is a story about a thing known by the hearers, but actually also with a spiritual meaning. These people were farmers and cattle owners, they farmed and understood very well about soils, and seeds, and water needs.

Jesus wants to teach a lesson about the soil of our lives and how we also need to prepare it for the productivity of the Word that is sown into the soil of our lives so that we are true productive sons of God, in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus presents 4 types of soil and what happens to the seed according to the type of soil onto which it falls:

1. “By the wayside:” Surface soil. “And immediately the seed is taken away by Satan.” Satan hates the Word of God. He either steals it or perverts it to keep us from understanding and pleasing God, and from being productive for the Kingdom of God, and going to Heaven where God, &we ourselves live forever. It seems that this type of soil heard, but didn’t realize the presence or value of the seed; did nothing, and it was stolen from them.

2. “Upon stony ground.” Soil upon which the seed cannot take deep root into because the soil is shallow and the stones are present. It may take shallow root and try to flourish but when the heat of the day, or as Jesus explained, the trials of life rise up, it quickly dies because it has no supporting soil or rooting by which to survive.

3. “Among thorns.” The growth of the thorns shade the seed from getting light by which to photosynthesize, and the roots of the thorns do not permit the roots of the seed of the Word to take root and produce the fruit the seed is programmed to produce.

 A testimony from me on this point: I received Jesus as my Savior at age 13. I had been a reader of the Bible since age 8, I did go to Church, I did pray, I was very insecure and understood that God wanted to help me. I was not a total heathen, and I did care that I did right things. But, at the time I am now speaking about I was in my early 30’s. I had a husband, 5 children, a 10 room house, a job in the medical field. Shopping, cleaning, washing, all the things that are required left me NO Time to read God’s Word and ONE THING we need after being seeded into the soil, is WATER. God’s Word is called, “the Water of the Word.” As I read this parable on the day I speak about, I identified myself as “being among thorns.”

The thorns were all the “things” that demanded all my time so that there was none left to program my mind, renewing it each day, and I realized that I was not living as God was pleased for me to do. My hope is that the Reader will also ask of their self, “What type of soil am I?”

4. “Upon good soil.” Soil that is well prepared for the growth of the seed. Soil that has been cleared of the rocks, the weeds, the thorns; that has been tilled and ready to produce after the kind of seed it is, God’s Word, producing righteousness and blessings to the people around and bearing the Fruit of the Spirit of God in the Earth; and most importantly, having a one on One relationship with God the Creator which was His reason for creating us in the first place.

ALL of us CAN be good soil. It is a decision that we make. God won’t make us. Devil can’t stop us. We have the free will to choose. We find our instructions on what to do and how to do as we read the Bible and make what we learn a priority to practice. We have the aid of the Holy Spirit of God, Mighty and Powerful, to assist us because we ask for God for forgiveness of our sin, and for Jesus to come be alive in our hearts and lives. This is the Path of Right Living which is pleasant in the sight of the God with Whom we all have to do, and gives to us a life of blessing even when the path is momentarily rough.

Here is a passage from The Message Bible: James, the brother of Jesus is the author of this advice and admonition to us.

“Post this at the intersections, dear friends: “LEAD WITH YOUR EARS, FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR TONGUE AND LET ANGER STRAGGLE ALONG IN THE REAR.”

God’s righteousness does not grow from human anger. So, throw all spoiled virtue and evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let (or allow) our Gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a Salvation Garden of your life.”

Ramona: 06/25/2024

Passages used from the KJV and the Message Bible.