The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Matthew 13:8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mark 4:8
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Luke 8:8
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The four types of soil that the Lord mentioned in the parable of the Seed and the Sower are: hard ground, shallow ground, thorny ground, and good ground. The good ground type of heart is the only one that brings forth fruit. Matthew says the person possessing the good ground type of heart hears the Word and understands it, Mark says they hear the Word and receive it, and Luke states they that heard the Word keep it. All seem to focus on the fact that the Word is understood, received, and kept. Uniquely though Luke adds …an honest and good heart… Good ground is a good heart, a good heart is an honest heart.
Good ground is not cultivated by accident. It takes purpose, patience, and persistence to obtain and maintain a good ground type of heart. Parents are tasked with nurturing a child so that they may have a good ground type of heart soil. Yet, when grown each person is responsible to keep their heart ground to be of the good variety. Meaning, they break up the hard packed soil, clear out the stones, cut out the thorns, and keep their heart in good condition so that the Word can enter in and bring forth fruit.
No wonder then that in Proverbs 4:23 Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost tells his son to: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Think about it like this. Every person has a heart (soul, being, whatever you want to call it) which is likened to ground in this parable. Why not have the best kind of heart soil? Determine to have good ground today and always. You’ll be eternally glad for that!
Until Next Time,
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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