7-16-2023 “The Good Soil, the Good Seed” Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Pentecost VII

Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor

If you are a regular church attendee and have cycled through the lectionary a few times, then you’ve heard the parable of the sower before: the story of the man who sows seed into different kinds of soil. Even if you aren’t a regular churchgoer, you may have heard the tale that I just read. Some of the seeds fall on a beaten path, some on rocky ground, and some among thorns. Eventually, some of the seeds fall on good soil. We’ll get to that in a minute.

The seed is the Word of God. The soil is us: people who hear the Word. If you are good soil, the Word takes root in your soul and flourishes in your faith and deeds. It doesn’t take root in those whose faith is fickle or those who are consumed by wealth. The Word can only take root in deep, rich, fertile soil.

When we hear that parable, many of us are probably quick to say, “That’s me! I’m the good soil kind of person. I read the Bible every day, I come to church every week, I contribute to my congregation’s ministry, I pray every night.” If that’s the case, great! You are a walking bag of fertile loam.

But I think if we’re honest, that most of us aren’t any one type of soil. We go back and forth. Sometimes we’re good soil, for sure, but other times we’re rocky ground: we rejoice over the Word, but that joy doesn’t last.

I think I’m a rocky ground person longing to be good soil. Let me be clear about what I am saying and what I am not saying. I am not saying that I am losing my faith, nor have I ever come close to losing it. My faith in God is strong. Jesus is my Savior who I serve with my life, my work, my play, my pen, my voice, and my deeds. I’m not saying I am the paragon of faith. I am simply saying that I have it. Yet there are times when the cares of the world get in the way, and I’m sure that is the case for many of you. I used to think that it must be lonely and boring to be a monk — someone cloistered in an abbey spending every day in prayer — but recently I have realized the opposite: that the monastic life is probably quite enriching and full. (Don’t worry. I’m not thinking about becoming a monk. My wife would say, “You talk way too much to be a monk!”) My point is simply that the rest of us — when we’re not busy worrying about our children, or our health, or paying the bills, mowing the lawn, or finding ourselves engaged in a host of other tasks and obligations — the rest of us probably feel a little empty sometimes. That is totally normal. Where’s the spark? Where is the feeling that God is as close to us as our breath, that the voice of Jesus rings loud and clear in our ears?

We all get dry sometimes. We all feel a bit rocky or shallow or alone at times. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is not just Jesus’ cry from the cross. Sometimes it is ours, too.

Our goal is to be fertile soil — the type of soil where the Word of God takes root and flourishes into lives that are a rich harvest. The $20,000 question is how do we attain that level of rich, fertile faith? How do we become good soil?

I could give the usual advice: read your Bible, spend quality time with God in prayer, and volunteer at church. Those are good strategies. But there are other things that we can do as well. What about the books we read, the music we listen to, and the movies we watch? Are those things spiritually edifying? Do they give us food for thought — fodder to reflect upon from a faith perspective? What about getting into the habit of journaling, spending ten minutes jotting down a prayer, or imagining that we are writing a letter to God — an ongoing letter that we spend just a few minutes each morning (or evening) openly and honestly talking to God?

And still, there are other things we can do. I thought about this the other night and found myself scouring the internet for ideas. I found the usual ones, such as reading your Bible, praying, and going to church. But a few novel ones popped up in a piece written by Martin Kiogora.[1]

Here’s one: surround yourselves with other Christians. Being in fellowship with other people of faith has infectious potential. Yes, you hang out with other Christians when you go to church, but what about when you’re not here? Who do you spend your leisure time with? Surrounding yourself with other people of faith can have a huge impact on your own spiritual development.
Here’s another one: let go of anger and resentment. Forgiveness has a real healing quality to it. Holding onto a grudge (or dare I even say hatred) does not hurt the object of your scorn. It only hurts you. I love the quote often attributed to everyone from the Buddha to Nelson Mandela: “Holding onto anger [or hate] is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”
Another suggestion is to show generosity towards the less fortunate. You hear this all the time. Give to charitable causes, for you receive much more in return when you are giving. That is true. But there is something else you can do. How about just talking, or better yet listening to someone who is less fortunate? Many times, when I see someone holding a sign seeking assistance (what the Bible calls alms), I give them the change in my pocket or a dollar or two and say “You’re welcome” or “God bless you” when the person thanks me, and then…I’m on my way. Maybe these people really need someone to talk to — to listen to them. It can start with a simple question, like, “How are you doing today?” or, if you’re really daring, you can introduce yourself and ask that person his or her name. Try it sometime. You might be surprised at the response!

I don’t have all the answers. I’m a work in progress just like the rest of you. I try and try and try. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I fall on my tuchus. But the idea is to get back up again and call upon Jesus — to say, as we read in Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” That’s what we’re really talking about, isn’t it?

It’s not easy to be a good soil person. There’s the crabgrass of crabbiness, the weeds of anger and resentment, and the drought of doubt that get in the way. Like all weeds, they take root and grow fast and furious. Find a more excellent way, for you were created for so much more. Amen.

[1] The following ideas came from Martin Kiogora, “10 Ways to Increase Your Faith in God,” from the website The Deep Things of God, 2023.