“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11, NIV
They are everywhere in my yard! Sprouting up from seeds that have fallen from the grey oak trees are many baby trees trying to take root. They are incredibly prolific! My son-in-law uprooted some of the seedlings to try and transplant them in another area. Time will tell if his efforts pay off.
Jesus tells a story about a farmer who goes out to sow seeds to produce a crop. According to his explanation, the farmer “scattering the seed” is not very intentional about where the seeds land as they end up falling into various conditions: “some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown” (Luke 8:5-8, NIV). As verse 11 clarifies for us, “the seed (in the story) is the word of God.”
Since last June, I have been taking college classes through a Christian institution and loving every minute. What strikes me most is the godly and Biblical approach to learning that is offered by the college. Every subject, including math, which is very hard for me on a good day, is covered in prayer by the professors and leaders, knowing this makes my personal experience exciting. I feel empowered by God to learn for his glory and by his direction to the end that only he knows. Other students receive the same foundation. Knowing that God’s Word, his “seed,” is being scattered on welcoming fertile soil ignites my enthusiasm and hope for future generations.
You do not have to go back to college, as I have, to reap the benefits derived from the reading of God’s Word. All you have to do is pick up your Bible, open it up, and read the beautiful message that is waiting just for you. Let the seeds germinate like the grey oak seedlings in my yard that are sturdy and plentiful, then, share it with those around you. Together, we can help “scatter the seeds” of hope and love offered by our generous God.