In all the times I have read the parable of the sower over many years, I have never considered a crucial detail in Jesus’ story. A crowd has gathered and he begins:
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
Mark 4:3-8, ESV
The main challenge of the parable is to ask ourselves how we receive the word of God. Will we let it be taken away from our hearts? Will its growth in us be stunted by temptations or worldly worries? Will we have receptive hearts and allow God’s word to grow and produce its fruit as we live a life that pleases Him?
Most lessons and discussions focus on the various soils and the need to receive God’s word in faith, but one writer noticed something interesting about the good soil itself. The crucial detail that I had missed before was highlighted by A. W. Tozer in his book, The Crucified Life.
Tozer points to verse eight and says, “Too many of us are satisfied to be thirtyfold Christians. But the desire of our Lord is that we press on to become hundredfold Christians.” In his usual direct way, Tozer challenges the church to move from an easy complacency to a seriousness about the fruit God wants us to bear.
Jesus wants us to receive God’s word with faith. That is the first step and marks us as good soil. We respond in obedience as we seek to follow God’s commands – especially as we take the specific steps toward salvation.
What about the years that follow our baptism? Do we remain in the vine (John 15:5) and bear the volume of fruit God always wanted to see in us? Do we yearn for a closer walk with the Lord? Do we seek to know Him better as He reveals His will? Do we settle for bare minimums as an acceptable norm? Have we lost sight of the hundredfold return?
Let’s not settle for a paltry harvest when it comes to our life in Christ. Let’s explore God’s word daily and pray to know Him better. He’ll begin to produce a supernatural harvest in our lives. Good soil can become even greater soil under His wonderful care.
Yield to His lead and show the world what He can do in the life of truly committed disciples. Don’t be satisfied with thirty or even sixtyfold… give Him your best.