Using a boat as his pulpit, Jesus turned to those on the shore with a story, intended to "to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight." “What do you
make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of
it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it
sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it
withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was
strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest
beyond his wildest dreams. “Are you listening to this? Really listening?” (Matthew 13:3-9, Eugene Peterson's "The Message") We all have different levels of readiness to hear, ability to understand, and openness to the message. We all have freedom of choice. Which seeds are we? |