"Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 13:8 ESV
We get a lot of weeds in Alabama. I think if you examined my yard close enough you would find every kind of weed native to the state in my grass. My grandfather once told me that the way to keep the weeds down was to have a lawn that was thick and lush. Strong grass eliminates the weeds and keeps them from gaining a foothold in the yard. If you look at a yard that is overrun by weeds, there is probably a poor, thin patch of real grass struggling to survive.
The parable that Jesus is referring to in Matthew 13:8 is about the farmer and the seeds. Being a kid that lived in a farming community and growing up in an area of Arkansas where farming was a big thing and having a grandfather that loved his garden, I can appreciate the need to keep the weeds out. The parable speaks about a farmer scattering his seeds for the upcoming crop across his field. As he went about this they landed in several places. Some fell on the road and were eaten up by birds (most likely crows...did I mention I hate crows! But that is another story.) Some seeds fell onto shallow soil filled with rocks and when they started to shoot up out of the ground they withered because they didn't have good roots. Other seeds fell among the weeds. And the weeds did what weeds do, they choked out anything competing for the nutrients available. Thankfully some of the seeds fell among good soil and produced a great crop.
You and I put seeds into our lives every single day. Whether it is through our thoughts, the people we associate with, or the things that we allow to influence us, all of these things can either make us stronger or choke us out. The more good things and good people we surround ourselves with and the more positive influences we have around the more likely we are to flourish and grow. But if we surround ourselves with negative people or things that dull our senses the more likely we will be choked out. That is simply how it works. The apostle Paul suggests in Philippians 4:8 that the more good influences we surround ourselves with the better chance we have of not having a "weed" infested heart and we give ourselves a better chance that temptation and evil won't gain a foothold in our thoughts and lives.
All it takes is a single weed. One weak spot will open itself up to a weed and lead you to an uncomfortable amount in your life. Sadly, this does not happen overnight. You have to be vigilant in making sure that your relationships aren't encouraging weeds to grow in your mind, your heart, your attitude, or in the things you do. You have to surround yourself with positive influences and be a positive influence on those in your circle.
We get a lot of weeds in Alabama. I think if you examined my yard close enough you would find every kind of weed native to the state in my grass. My grandfather once told me that the way to keep the weeds down was to have a lawn that was thick and lush. Strong grass eliminates the weeds and keeps them from gaining a foothold in the yard. If you look at a yard that is overrun by weeds, there is probably a poor, thin patch of real grass struggling to survive.
The parable that Jesus is referring to in Matthew 13:8 is about the farmer and the seeds. Being a kid that lived in a farming community and growing up in an area of Arkansas where farming was a big thing and having a grandfather that loved his garden, I can appreciate the need to keep the weeds out. The parable speaks about a farmer scattering his seeds for the upcoming crop across his field. As he went about this they landed in several places. Some fell on the road and were eaten up by birds (most likely crows...did I mention I hate crows! But that is another story.) Some seeds fell onto shallow soil filled with rocks and when they started to shoot up out of the ground they withered because they didn't have good roots. Other seeds fell among the weeds. And the weeds did what weeds do, they choked out anything competing for the nutrients available. Thankfully some of the seeds fell among good soil and produced a great crop.
You and I put seeds into our lives every single day. Whether it is through our thoughts, the people we associate with, or the things that we allow to influence us, all of these things can either make us stronger or choke us out. The more good things and good people we surround ourselves with and the more positive influences we have around the more likely we are to flourish and grow. But if we surround ourselves with negative people or things that dull our senses the more likely we will be choked out. That is simply how it works. The apostle Paul suggests in Philippians 4:8 that the more good influences we surround ourselves with the better chance we have of not having a "weed" infested heart and we give ourselves a better chance that temptation and evil won't gain a foothold in our thoughts and lives.
All it takes is a single weed. One weak spot will open itself up to a weed and lead you to an uncomfortable amount in your life. Sadly, this does not happen overnight. You have to be vigilant in making sure that your relationships aren't encouraging weeds to grow in your mind, your heart, your attitude, or in the things you do. You have to surround yourself with positive influences and be a positive influence on those in your circle.
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