Good Ground

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:23

In the Parable of the Sower, there are four types of soil: the wayside, stony places, thorns, and good ground. Three out of four of these germinated seed, but only one brought forth fruit. As Jesus explained the characteristics of those who are represented by the good ground, He pointed out that these people hear the Word, understand the Word, and bear fruit. Could you say that you are doing all three of these things? Of course, we must hear and understand the Gospel in order to be saved, but we must continue to hear and understand the Word in order to bear fruit. Today I handed a lady a Gospel tract and she immediately swore and threw the tract to the ground. Right now, she would fit into the “wayside” category in this parable. I pray that God will work on her heart and that one day she will be willing to accept the Gospel. Last Saturday, my wife and I were talking with a lady and her adult son at their door, and they both sweetly prayed to receive Christ. Time will tell in their lives whether or not they will allow stony ground or thorns to choke out the growth in their spiritual lives and prevent them from bearing fruit. Ultimately, it is up to each of us to decide what category we want to live in. If we want to be considered “good ground” and bear fruit in our lives, we must hear, understand, and obey God’s Word.