The final soil is fertile. And this soil refers to those who truly understand God's word and message and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.
Remember, the soil represents the different conditions of our hearts. The difference between this soil and the last
three types is that this soil is soft and open; it is not hardened like the path. It has no underlying rock, so the roots can grow deep down, stabilising it in the word, and his living water can keep flowing through it even if trouble comes. It doesn’t let worries or the lure of this world consume it as it grows, and it keeps its focus on God. And finally, the seed is able to bear much fruit.
What’s beautiful
is that one seed produced a hundred times more than was planted. As we share the word embedded in us, God multiplies the number of people drawn to him. A seed planted in the good, fertile soil of our hearts will scatter more seeds and, hopefully, be planted from the fruits God produces in us.
But Jesus reminds us in that last sentence, “Whoever has ears, let them hear”, that blessed are those who see the truth and those who
hear the truth. And so your heart might be the path in the rocky place, among the thorns, or in the good soil. It could be any of these, but our hope lies in awareness of it.
Jesus is helping us become aware of the shape our hearts are in, so we can ultimately give our hardened, troubled, worried hearts back into his hands and together we work the ground towards good soil. As we remain in him, he will remain in
us; apart from him, we can do nothing.
What are some fruits that God has grown in me that I can share with others?
Is my heart in good soil, or are there areas that I need to take to God?
