Sowing Seed: Mark 4:3-9
Choices have consequences. Everyone is in love with the freedom to make their own choices. Most people aren’t quite as enamored with embracing the consequences of their choices. The two go hand in hand, however. You can’t have the freedom to choose without also embracing the consequences of the choices you make.
The parable of the sower is one of the most famous parables in the Bible. We’ll dive into the meaning of this parable more deeply when we look at Mark 4:14-20, where Jesus explains the meaning to His disciples. Today, consider the context of this passage. Jesus is teaching the crowds. There are hundreds of people present, if not more. No doubt there were men and women, businessmen and craftsmen, introverts and extroverts, good speakers and people who stumbled through their words, flamboyant people and shy people, old and young, rich and poor, and certainly many other ways to define and categorize people.
In the same way as there are many kinds of people present, the parable of the sower has different kinds of soil. For each kind of soil, there is a consequence. The seed falling upon the path was snatched up by birds and eaten before it could take root. The seed falling upon the rocky ground grew a little, but its inability to sink deep roots into the ground meant it died not long after. The seed falling among the thorns tried to grow, but it was eventually choked out and died. Only the seed sown among the good soil was able to take root and grow.
Every person in the audience has a string of choices behind why they became the person currently listening to Jesus. They know whether their choices have made them patient and kind or mean and selfish. They know whether their choices have made them teachable or hardheaded. They know whether their choices have led them down a path of genuine searching in faith or hoping Jesus’ preaching is entertaining and easy on the ears.
What is great about Jesus is that He gives space for people to search themselves for their own answers. Jesus doesn’t point a finger and tell people who they are. Jesus gives the crowd a scenario to reflect upon and leaves space for them to decide for themselves. Jesus isn’t the diagnostician; He's the teacher helping people learn to diagnose themselves.
In the end, giving people space to do their own reflecting and make their own choices is mandatory. Good soil is developed over time. Learning how to consistently make good choices is part of the process. People cannot be forced to become good soil, but people can be guided along the process if they want it. Becoming good soil is a worthwhile endeavor, so is learning how to make good choices. After all, choices have consequences.
