Picture This: A Farmer Planting Seeds Series

The third group, again 25%, heard about God and began to grow but they got to caught up in worldly wealth and pursuing things that really don’t matter. Instead of being generous and giving with their lives and money they spend it on themselves and never really help anyone. So Jesus says even though they are growing they aren’t producing anything.

Then there are 25% who hear the word of God and let it grow in their life. They make changes and get in tune with God. And the results are good because they start producing a spiritual crop. Because they remain planted more people have hope. Because they remain planted more marriages are reconciled. Because they are planted more kids can hear about Jesus. Jesus says that those who are planted eventually produce great things.

I have asked Molly to share with us this morning. She has lived on the path, in shallow soil, with the weeds, and in the good soil.

MOLLY

You reap what you sow. We’ve all hear it, but do we really think about it? If we do, than why do we still make some of those rotten, stinkin, awful choices? Are our excuses good?

I’ve been lucky to have God in my life ever since I can remember. Going to church, Pioneer Girls (like Awana), Bible study, youth groups and eventually my school. Memorizing Bible verses, learning and singing Jesus songs, that just what we did. My mother lived for singing with children about Jesus. I can still see her waving her arms in the air & smiling. You know, I had to idea how those verses and songs would instantly come to mind when in need as I got older.

I knew the ropes. I knew the good soil from the bad soil. But that didn’t mean I always wanted to stay planted in the good soil. Sometimes I kind of wanted to replant myself.

I had a short period of time, ok, ten years plus, when I did just that. I decided that I wanted to grow in the weeds. My choices become unhealthy, self-centered, and self-destructive. I ran and managed bars for years. I even made a bet and won a bar which I ran for a year and a half. Let me say that running a bar as an alcoholic was the ideal job………for a weed. I have spent a night or two or three or longer in jail. Let me tell you, that wasn’t fun.

For ten years I lived on rocky soil with weeds always knowing where the good soil was. I left the good soil because I think I just got tired of doing the right thing. I actually tried to convince myself that hanging out in the weed patch was better for me than staying in the good soil and producing good stuff. I thought I was missing out on things but you know what I was missing out on? Loving myself and sharing God’s love with those around me. I was missing out on caring for others and living with a purpose. It took me ten years to realize that the weeds in my life didn’t care about me, even the weeds with flowers.

Then in my late 20’s I realized that living among the weeds wasn’t producing anything. I had spent more than ten years of my life bouncing around producing nothing. So I sobered up and went back to the good soil. And God has been doing some cool things in my life. I have a great family, a wonderful husband, my own business, and a great church which has helped me to continue to grow and produce stuff that pleases God. And I am having a blast doing it.