As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
Matthew 13:23
By Rev. Canon Val Kenyon
While it may seem odd at this time of the year as we give thanks for the fruits of the harvest, to be speaking about seeds (isn’t that more of a spring conversation?), it is the time of year we see and give thanks for all that those seeds have yielded.
Seeds are fascinating. They look so lifeless on first inspection, yet within a seed lies the full potential of not just another entire plant, but the potential of all the seeds that will develop from future plants. Within a seed lies almost unlimited potential given the proper conditions, however, a seed remains a seed until it finds good soil.
In the parable of the Sower, though it could also be called the parable of the Soils, Jesus explores the variety of soils into which a seed might land and the difference that the various soils make. Did you know that a sevenfold harvest meant a good year for the farmer, a tenfold one meant true abundance; thirty-fold would feed a village for a year, and a hundred-fold, would mean that the farmer could kick back, put up their feet, and enjoy an early retirement. The people listening to Jesus that day, understood exactly what he was saying about all that was possible.
Whenever I read this parable, I always come away with the same thoughts and feelings. The first is that I really want to be that good soil, ready to receive the seed of God’s Word. And, I want to live a life that bears fruit. I want my roots to be deep to withstand the hot sun and the fierce wind and the cares and concerns that are part of all of our lives.
As we encounter and give ourselves to God’s Spirit working in our lives through all the circumstances of everyday life, the good, the bad, the ugly, these elements have the potential to enhance and work deeply into the soil of our souls, to change us, to shape us, and to enrich us, ultimately preparing us for the seed of God’s word as we encounter it.
In part this is what happens during Education for Ministry sessions, as participants prepare and then pause in their week to receive with others, the seed of God’s word and to open themselves to God’s process working in them. As a group, they support the best in one another, anticipating a bountiful yield, as they wonder together.
We are always pleased to talk to you about the possibilities. For any additional information, or to arrange an information session that works for you or your group, we are just a phone call or an email away. Please contact Libi Clifford, the Diocese of Huron EfM Coordinator or myself Val Kenyon at EFM@huron.anglican.ca
Rev. Canon Dr. Val Kenyon is EFM Animator in Huron.