Are you a gardener? My grandmother had a green thumb. I think she could have planted something in concrete and made it grow. Her yard always looked like something out of Better Homes and Gardens. She was up in the morning just after sunrise working in her flower garden.
I do not have a green thumb. If I plant something, there is a strong chance I’ll have to plant something else in its place in a couple of weeks. I will say I am getting better as I get older. I’m encouraged by my mother, because she used to have my track record with plants and now she has a yard similar to my grandmother’s and a very successful vegetable garden.
Jesus tells a story in Mark 4:3-20 about a man sowing seeds. Some of the seeds took root and were choked out by weeds (that sounds similar to my gardening). Other sees fell on a path with no soil so it had no place for roots. Still other seed fell in shallow dirt, so it sprung up but didn’t last long. Some seed fell on fertile ground and it produced a crop.
In verse 14 Jesus tells the disciples the seed He was referring to was the Word of God. Whether we have a green thumb or not, we’re all called to be sowers of the Word of God.
Many of us get frustrated when we don’t see conversions come as a result of our planting. We need to realize we are not the one responsible for the results. We are called to be obedient seed sowers. Sometimes we’re called to water the seeds another planted, but only God can determine if a seed grows or not [1 Corinthians 3:6]. A person’s salvation is dependent on God, not us. We are only responsible for what He has called us to do, which is to share the Word.
Take some time this morning to fill your seed bucket so you’re ready to spread the seed no matter what type of soil you’re around. You can’t sow when you have no seed.