Fall In Good Soil

In the Avonlea village that Brian and I visited in PEI, I had to take a picture of this scarecrow that we saw in a garden.

Every year, since my sons were very young, I have always made a scarecrow in the fall using ragged clothes that one of my sons had outgrown. It became a family tradition! I love scarecrows, especially homemade ones! Fall isn't fall until there is a scarecrow in my yard.

Here is a picture of a scarecrow I made with my four sons. Can you tell which one is the scarecrow?

Historically, scarecrows were placed in gardens to frighten away birds, especially crows, because the birds could do a lot of harm to gardens by eating the seeds, fruit, vegetables, and grains that farmers planted.

Today scarecrows serve no practical purpose. It just gives a garden a whimsical and fun look.

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 13:3-9 about birds eating up seeds planted by a farmer.

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear."

When planting seeds, a farmer needs good soil so that the seeds will have nutrients for healthy growth. Plants get the necessary food and water through their roots. Just as there are various environmental conditions that affect the growth of seeds, there are various ways of hearing and responding to God's Word, each way producing a different result.

First, there is a person who hears the Word of God, but his/her mind is closed and his/her heart is hardened from hearing the truth. He/she is deaf to what he/she does not want to hear.

Then there is a person who hears to the Word of God and responds emotionally, but not mentally. They are excited at first, but when problems come, their excitement wears off. They lack a depth of faith and a firm commitment to continue their walk with God.

There are also others who hear the Word of God and start to grow in the Lord, but the things of the world became more important and choke out their faith.

Lastly, there is a person who hears the Word of God and nurtures their faith by prayer, Bible study, and Church attendance. Their commitment is strong and unwavering, and their love is forever. Their life exhibits the goodness and characteristics of Christ.

May our response to hearing God's Word be as the seed that falls on good soil, where it grows and produces much fruit for our Lord Jesus Christ.