I was coming home from the skate park totally unaware of what was about to take place.
I chose a different route than normal, and on the way there was a sign that read, “Road Closed to Thru Traffic”. This sign was on the side of the road, so for some reason I decided that it must not apply to me. I thought to myself, “I can make it through.”
As you can imagine, it was a longer drive home than I planned. About a half-mile ahead was a “Road Closed” sign, and I basically had to get back to where I started to take the correct path home. What I wasn’t expecting was how frustrated I got when I found out that the sign really did apply to me. My frustration went away once I got back on track as I drove home.
This reminds me of the first parable of the Kingdom that Jesus tells in Matthew 13.
Parable of the Sower – Matthew 13:3-8
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “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.”
As Jesus explains this parable, he tells us that the seed is the word of the Kingdom. Once the “seed” is planted the growth and fruit are different based on where it is planted. For example:
- Beside the Road – The enemy (Satan) does all he can to confuse the words of the Kingdom so people fall away.
- Rocky Places – Affliction and persecution become a significant barrier to many people finding God’s kingdom. This is because there is no firm root system.
- Among Thorns – Worry and wealth (or desire for wealth) cause so much struggle that many become unfruitful in their life and turn away from the Kingdom because of them.
- Good Soil – The person who can hear, understand, apply and sow the word of the Kingdom will be a fruitful citizen of the Kingdom.
Our response to the word of the Kingdom shows the condition of our heart.
I guess there are at least two questions we must ask ourselves:
- What kind of soil am I (i.e. how is my heart)? And,
- What can I do if I am not good soil (i.e. how do I have a heart that is centered on the word of the Kingdom)?
The thing is, if our actions show that our heart is not in line with the Kingdom, then we need to do the same thing I had to do on the way home from the skatepark.
We need to accept that the sign (word) we ignored earlier actually applies to us. Then, go back to where we got off track, and follow the “words” on the sign.
This is what true repentance looks like.
That sign for me was a reminder of my need for a Kingdom centered heart. Maybe it can be for you as well.
Love and blessin’s,
David
