Remember his strength – Day 4

In some communities across the world, the preaching of the word of God is met with a warm welcome and a good response. In other communities, the message of the Bible is either not welcomed or it is ignored.

Why these different responses? Well, one of the things that the New Testament constantly sets before us is the different responses to Jesus and his word.

In this parable about the sower, we have four different responses to the good news. Some people hear it with hard hearts and the devil soon snatches, even the memory, of what they heard. Others receive the word with an initial enthusiasm, but the word does not penetrate or take root. All is superficial, therefore, when difficulties arise, they quickly fall away and abandon the truth.

There is another response to the gospel, which we are all aware of. This response is an initial acceptance of the message, but people become distracted with all the busyness of family, children and making money, that the truth is eventually choked out of their lives. We all know someone like that. Is all lost then? Does the gospel appeal to nobody? On the contrary, Jesus told us that there is some good soil that produces up to a hundred times what was sown.

There is always somebody who hears and believes. Sometimes, they are the most unexpected people, but the gift of understanding is given to them and they produce the harvest.

Perhaps, you can remember your own experience – how long it seemed to take before you began to see the light. Then, even if you did not see the whole gospel picture, what you did understand excited you and began to dominate your life. And look at you now! Even though you may be a nobody in the eyes of the world, how many people have heard the gospel from you or experienced some of Christ’s love through you and have been blessed? You are the one producing the harvest.