Thoughts for the Day

'Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Word)

Thoughts

Two days ago we looked at the Parable of the Sower, and now comes the explanation from Jesus. The parable is about the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, and how we receive its message. However, I want to continue looking at why Jesus is using parables. Think about this:

• We read simple stories to young children, with lots of pictures.
• We explain that God is our Heavenly Father, and Jesus is His Son.

It would be no good reading 'David Copperfield' or something similar by Dickens, to young children. They wouldn't understand it. And we don't give an in depth explanation of the Nicene Creed (used in the Eucharist) and it's understanding of the Trinity until Christians are mature enough to do some serious study. As well as this we need to be ready to listen and to learn.

Jesus calls us 'children' and that is how we are at first, whatever our actual age. Indeed some adults never progress beyond this stage. Jesus uses story in a parable like the Sower to allow us to interpret the meaning at our own level, when we are ready to think about what God is doing in our life and He encourages us to make changes.

Heavenly Father,
help us to look again
at Jesus' parables,
to recognise what they mean,
and to accept where they might
apply to us.
Help us to be honest about ourselves,
and to continue growing in faith.
Amen.