Be Careful How You Hear

You're listening to Life Path, Biblical Instruction with Practical Application. I'm Brandon Ware and I want to welcome you to my podcast.

Today is Tuesday, January 19th, 2021. Today's devotional thought comes from Matthew chapter 13 which records the parable of the sower. It's a parable that Jesus told that illustrates how important it is to pay attention to how we hear and respond to God's Word.

You know, not everyone who hears something actually listens to or perceives what is being said. In verse 3, Jesus says, A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, but since they had no depth of soil, when the sun rose they were scorched, and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear. In other words, pay careful attention to how you hear the Word of God. And when Jesus explains the parable to his disciples just a few verses later, this is his application. The seed is a picture of the Word, and the sower is the one who shares the Word. But, the different types of soil represent the different types of responses that are often found to God's Word.

Some of the seed falls on the well-worn path, and it's eaten by birds because it never penetrated the surface. Jesus says that it illustrates how the evil one comes to snatch the Word away from this person's life. And it's a reminder that the devil works to distract people from the truth. And then some of the seed falls on shallow ground where there's an initial response to it, but what springs up quickly withers away because there is no depth. And not everyone who initially responds to the truth do so legitimately.

Not everyone who is enthusiastic initially is genuinely changed by the truth. And then some of the seed falls among thorns, and those thorns choke the seed. And it's an illustration of how some hear the Word, but they're too preoccupied with the cares and the concerns of this world.

Pursuit of pleasure and wealth and creature comforts are far more pressing to these individuals. However, some of the seed falls upon good ground, and Jesus says that it produces fruit. And this is the person who hears the Word, who understands the Word, and submits his or her life to Christ. And the result is a fruitful and an abundant life. So pay careful attention to how you hear God's Word.

What type of soil might you be? Well, that's today's devotional thought. If we can minister to you in any way, we'd love to hear from you. You can contact us at connect at greenstreet.org. And as always, thanks for listening.