Do You Sew?

I have been reading the Gospels lately, you know Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They all tell basically the same story, from different viewpoints. I think this is pretty neat, they all tell of Jesus' life, and ministry while here on earth, but from 4 different perspectives . I am really interested in the Parables of Christ. So here is another one: Matthew 13:3-9: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” The first thing I noticed about this story is that Jesus started by saying: "Listen!" He wanted to get the disciples attention. He had something important to tell them. He wanted to make sure they weren't talking about the football games coming up this weekend, or the fact that Christmas was coming up so fast. "Listen!!" Has God ever said that to you? "Listen" I need to tell you something." Do you think the disciples stopped talking among themselves and turned to hear what God's own son had to say? I would think so. He told them a story about a farmer who was planting his crop, something most could understood, since this was a country that had MANY who worked their fields to survive. In those days the farmers wore a sack around their shoulder with the seeds of the crop they were planting. They would just reach in grab a handful and throw in a sweeping motion to cover the ground as much as possible. They had worked very hard in preparing the ground to accept this seed. Weeks, even months of hard labor had already been done, taking weeds out, plowing, turning the soil over, breaking up clods of soil, digging up old tree roots, tearing out trees and trunks. The "sowing" was the easy part. But Jesus tells of where this seed goes, as it is being spread around. Like people, not all would take root like we hoped it would. Some of these seeds fell upon soil that had rocks just under the surface. The seed took root, and started to grow, but soon the roots ran into the rock just below the surface then that was it, the plant was doomed. Other seeds fell upon ground that still had thorns, weeds, and had not been prepared, the farmer could not prepare the whole earth, he had only prepared as much as he could. The weeds, and thorns overtook the plants that were trying to grow and died. More seeds fell upon hard dried up, traveled ground of the path he took to the field, and they could not even take root because of the hard soil, birds saw them and had a free meal. But much of the seeds fell into the ground that had been prepared for them, and they thrived, producing a crop that was thirty, sixty, even 100 times more then the farmer had planted. All of the farmers effort was paid off. The hard work had been worth it. Now I have heard this parable most of my life. In Sunday School, we learned all the Parables of Christ and their meaning. This one is always called "The Parable of the Sower" Lesson learned here is don't stop spreading the gospel just because it doesn't take root on everyone you share it with. Got it. BUT is that it? I don't think so. There is something unspoken here that Jesus doesn't tell us. Have you ever known a farmer? They have tractors, equipment for watering their crop, equipment for fertilizing their crops, more tractors, all kinds of equipment to take care of their crop. After they harvest this years crop, what is next? Preparing the soil for the next crop. They spend hours and hours preparing there fields to plant. What is my point? Long before we spread the seeds, to plant a crop, there is MUCH work to be done. If someone is going to "take" the seeds we are dishing out, they are going to want to. Why would they want to? Because we have shown them through our lives the benefits of doing so. Yes there are times when someone else has done all the work on the soil, and we come along and "Sow" them and it takes, but only because they were ready to receive. Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. You see the preparation of the harvest has been by hard labor for many generations, the planting has even been done, our generation is here to "Harvest". To finish the work started by others primarily. There are millions of people out there that are so close to accepting Jesus Christ as savior of their lives, they just need that one "push" that one thorn tore out that is causing them to gasp for life. Much of the work has already been done, we just need to "bring it home". America and the world is "ripe for harvest" the hard work has been done for generations. We can bring in the harvest thanks to the many that have done all the work. We will bring in the souls, but we will not take all the credit. In Heaven there will be secrets told of prayers, actions, deeds, friendships, examples.............that many have done in the past that caused these souls to start to want to change and become a part of God's family. All we do is come along in these lives and led them to Him. It is really easy. But we have to be available. So I have one last question for us all: "Are we Sowers"? Do we give people we know, and meet, a reason to accept the Gospel, the story of Jesus' sacrifice for them? And if you answered yes to this question there is one more: "Are you ready to start taking the crop in?" Before we can reap we must sow. I must admit when I was a kid, I did not understand the difference between the words, "Sew" and "Sow". I mean my Mom could "Sew" what did this have to do with anything in the Bible? "So" I will explain it, "So" if your confused maybe this will help. "Sew" putting two pieces or more of cloth together to make something or repair something like a pair of jeans that got ripped. "Sow" is to plant seeds in the ground to raise plants. This is usually done on a large scale like a farm. But if you plant seeds in your garden to grow flowers, the you are "Sowing". We don't use the word "Sow" much today, we would just say "Farmer Jim is planting his crop" But either way it is still the same, putting hard labor into something, so you get results. In this case, results are another sower. The more that come to Christ, the more we have to share and spread His story. His story? That He loves us, died for us, and wants to take us to His home forever. Now get out there and "Sow" and get ready to "Reap".