I give thanks for the Sanctuary of Peace community, made up of homeless and low income friends who have given me a whole new appreciation for the Parable of the Sower, today's Gospel reading.
It's not unusual for them to wake me up to Jesus' stories in ways that I've never considered before. Here's the reading and reflection I will share with them this morning...
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 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.”
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
New International Version (NIV)
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I love it when Jesus tells stories… but it took me until now to really appreciate this one. Maybe that’s because, too many times, I’ve heard these words like they are a judgment against me. Like maybe Jesus is saying that the soil of my heart is too hardpacked, too rocky, too shallow, or otherwise unable to accept and allow Creator’s goodness to take root in my life. Or maybe he’s saying I should be 'the seed that falls on good ground' and produces 100-fold, no less, like the psalm response we just sang together.
Maybe I hear Jesus' words that way because our North American culture conditions us to think we have to be MORE – and to judge ourselves when we fall short. But this time around, it dawned on me that Jesus isn’t judging me. He’s telling me that Creator is a good farmer who casts seeds of God’s love around wildly and abundantly and right into our hearts without asking us about our “soil conditions.” God says we are ENOUGH as is.
That’s right. Creator loves us as we are. If our soil is trampled too hard to receive love because too many people have walked on us and stolen our faith in God’s goodness, God knows it’s not our fault. If our ground is rocky because we’ve had to protect our hearts from too many hurts, or our faith is shallow because we’ve never had the chance to develop trust, God knows it’s not our fault. Creator’s love for us doesn’t depend on how well we are able to receive it. It overflows on us, because that’s who God is. God is love. Unconditional and forever. For you. For me.
And Creator sees the long view, too. Just because my soil is hard or rocky or shallow or depleted right now, God knows those qualities aren’t a life sentence for you or me. Soil can be amended. We can change. Like the farmers of Jesus’ time, God throws seed around without fretting about where it lands or how well it produces, then turns over the whole field, whether its packed down or rocky or whatever. God rejoices in the harvest however it comes.
And Creator knows that we’re not all cut out to yield a hundred percent! In the past weeks when my dad was dying, even one percent felt like a lot. It’s a comfort to know that The Sower is pleased with whatever I can muster. There’s a lovely passage in the writings of Isaiah that says, “a bruised stem he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Is 42:3.) Meaning that our good God sees our struggles and cares for us when we are bruised or when our light is barely shining.
No matter how we are when we come to God, as we listen to Jesus’ story today, the important thing is that the One who made us loves us, just as we are, and wants only the best for us. God doesn’t expect us to always be strong, courageous, faithful, and on top of things. Creator just wants to love us, and invite us to be open to love and healing, as we are able. If we can be ourselves and turn toward God even when we have almost nothing left to give, and put our lives into Creator’s hands, we are pleasing to God.
For now, let’s rest in Creator’s unconditional love for us.
I invite you to straighten your back and get as comfortable as possible in your chair.
Put your feet on the floor, relax your body, and close your eyes if you can.
Breathe in and out slowly, quietly and gently.
Open your mind and heart as wide as you can.
Imagine yourself as a small seedling, growing up from the soil.
Feel Creator’s gentle rains as they wash over you.
Pay attention to Creator’s sun warming you through and encouraging you to grow.
Stretch toward Creator’s moon as it shines on you from the darkness of the night.
The shadow of the One who made you, the good gardener, falls on you.
God gets down on her knees to press good soil around you.
Smiling, God tells you that he wants only what is best for you.
Creator says that you belong and are beloved, just as you are, and that the goodness of creation would not be complete without you.
Seeing love in your God’s eyes, what do you want to say?
Share your thoughts and feelings now for a few moments....
Creator, You know me better than I know myself.
You don’t judge me by human standards – you simply scatter seeds of your love in and around me, abundantly, all the time.
Thank you for creating me, for loving me, for accepting me as I am.
Help me to be as you want me to be.
Help me to put my life in your hands so I can grow in the way that is best in your eyes.
Show me your way and help me to share your love with others.
Your love and your grace are enough for me.
Thank you for listening when I pray, and for answering me in your good time.
+Amen
Postscript:
When I saw Chad at our Tuesday Table Time outreach two weeks ago, he asked me when I would preach next, and I told him, July 12th. "Looking forward to it," he said. So I wrote this reflection with Chad in my mind's eye.
But this morning, just before our service was to start, Quinn came in from welcoming our folks in, to tell me that Chad had died of drug poisoning. Chad, sweet Chad, heard this reflection from God's house, and knows, even better than I do, the truth of its words.
Now I don't need to remind you that God loves you, Chad. Rest in peace, my friend.
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