Good Soil

‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’ Matthew 13:18-23

There are many things required to be good, rich soil. It needs to be well fed and watered, not too alkaline, not too base. Good soil can be overworked and become fragile and blow away. Crops need to be rotated so the soil stays good, and it needs to be full of life like worms and bugs. How hard it is to be good soil for us. We want everything and every crop to be the same year after year. We want to keep moving forward with our goals without resting. And we are quickly angry with all the worms and the bugs in our lives. We rail at God for not protecting us, when we have been taught over and over how to be good soil. Rest, food, balance, change and plenty of squirmy annoying life is where we find our health.

Living Creator, you plant us all in community

you teach us how to be good and productive earth

you make us the soft soil of our many lands

and yet we want to be the rigid strong buildings.

We get frustrated when our plans are futile

we think ourselves as victims of a cruel gardener

when you have given us all good places to grow

and called us to rest and renewal in every season.

Help us to examine ourselves for the sake of love

let what we do and say enrich the whole garden

let you light renew us and your word feed us all

so we might know you blessings as we serve others. Amen.