January 21

And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. — Matt 13:3 BSB

We are all both sowers and fields. Our words, actions, and influences, as we touch other lives, become seeds. This is true not only for the good things we do but also for the bad. Each of our lives is also like a small plot of land where others are constantly sowing seeds. Every person we interact with, every friendship we cherish, every book we read—these all plant seeds that contribute to our life’s harvest. Christ is the great sower of good seed, bringing heavenly seeds to plant them in earthly soil.

We must be careful not to let our hearts become like the hard, beaten path where good seeds can’t grow. We need to keep our hearts soft and receptive to God’s Word. We should also guard against letting thorns—sinful habits or distractions—choke out the good seeds. Instead, we should cultivate deep, fertile soil in our hearts, where the good seed of God’s truth can grow and bear fruit.