We are told in Mark 4 that when Jesus was with the crowds he only taught in parables. Parables are brief, succinct stories that illustrate a moral or religious lesson. After Jesus would share the parable he would then, in his group of disciples tell the meaning of them.
It is in Mark 4 Jesus gives a parable of a farmer scattering seed. We read that the seed fell on different terrain: rocky, shallow, thorns and good soil. For three of the terrains the seed would not take root. For one the seed was able to thrive and grow to its full potential.
There is one sentence that has stood out in this teaching, “but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth and the desire for other things.” This statment is very real to each of us because people want to know God. People want to hear and embrace what God has for them. We all desire to absorb the Good News. The truth is we allow things of this world to steal the message and kingdom of God from us.
What soil is your heart? We are being asked today to quiet our soul in order that the things around us do not steal the joy and the plan God has for us today. One simple tip- turn off the radio or the cell phone in the car and use that time as an opportunity to quiet yourself and hear the voice of God speak to you.
