Truth in the Dirt: The Parable of the SowerSample

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. – Winston Churchill

As a counselor and pastor, people regularly contact me asking for help in dealing with a problem in their life. Unfortunately, people only tend to seek help when things have gotten really difficult — the marriage is falling apart, finances are in trouble, or there's major tension with a child. But I do my best to help them see what God's word has to say about their situation.

Typically, we can figure out in one or two meetings what’s at the root of their struggle. The truth about the situation and what needs to change comes to the surface. But once the truth comes out, it’s pretty common to hear something like this:

“I know that’s true, but…”

I know I need to forgive him, but he doesn’t deserve it after what he did.
I know we need to get on a budget, but I don’t want it cramping my style.
I know I need to give up on this plan, but then I won’t get what I want.

Jesus promised that the truth will set us free. (John 8:32) But before the truth sets us free, it tends to make us very uncomfortable. Because when the truth appears, it usually require us to change.

It’s really easy to write off truth because we feel like we have a valid excuse for why our situation is unique. Sometimes we ignore truth because we don’t like the person who said it or we feel they didn’t say it in the right way. "They could've been nicer about it!" Sometimes the truth is just really hard to swallow and doesn’t fit in with our current way of seeing the world, so we brush it aside.

But wherever truth comes from, we ignore it at our peril. How we respond to truth will define our future and our ongoing spiritual growth. The more we embrace truth, the more it sets us free. So job number one of a Christ-follower should be seeking and applying truth.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus told the story of a farmer who went out and spread seed on lots of different kinds of soil. The only seed that takes root and grows into maturity is the seed that lands in good soil. What’s odd is, he doesn’t immediately explain the parable, he just says: “Let him who has ears to hear, listen.”

Only later, when he’s with his disciples and they ask him to explain it, does he open up about the meaning. He stresses how important the parable is when he essentially says: If you don’t understand this parable, you won’t understand anything I’m saying, because I’m telling you how people respond to truth. (paraphrase of Mark 4:13)

Every parable Jesus taught has multiple layers of truth. But, at it’s core, the Parable of the Sower talks about the different ways we respond to truth. Only one response to truth will lead to fruitful living.

Over the next few days, we’re going to look a little more in depth at the different ways Jesus says we respond to truth — the different kinds of soil. In a world full of lies, challenges, need, and conflicting values, our goal as followers of Christ should be to seek and embrace truth — no matter how it’s presented or where it comes from. Our response to truth will define what our life produces.

As you begin this reading plan, I encourage you to say a simple prayer and ask God to help you open yourself to truth, however and wherever it’s presented today.