What kind of soil is in your heart right now?
That’s the question driving my current series on the Parable of the Sower. Many Christians — myself included — were taught that this parable is all about unbelievers. In this understanding the different types of soils describe the different reasons unbelievers cannot truly hear or receive the Gospel.
But as I’ve explained, that’s actually not what Jesus is trying to teach us here. Rather, he’s inviting us to constantly pay attention to the condition of our hearts. Farmers know that rich soil doesn’t stay rich without effort: it needs regular tending and thoughtful care to remain fertile. And our hearts are the same way.
Last week we looked at the first type of soil that Jesus describes — the soil of a hard heart. This week we’re turning to the second type of soil that Jesus describes in this parable:
“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away.” (Matthew 13:5-6)
Because this rocky soil was shallow, it allowed the seed to germinate quickly. However, these plants suffered a fatal flaw: they could not grow good roots. As a result, the plants died because they could not withstand the heat of the day.
Jesus described this heart condition as a shallow heart. This type of heart receives God’s word with vigor and openness but dies away as soon as adversity comes (Matt. 13:20-21). When our hearts value comfortable convenience over the inevitable challenges of growth, we lack the ability to see our intention through to the end.
In today’s terms, the shallow heart treats God as a success strategy or a genie in a bottle. If God grants their requests, and ensures they experience no difficulty, failure, or pain, they are worshipful, joyful, and possess a positive outlook towards life.
But the moment a challenge arrives, the shallow heart questions God, becomes bitter, and doubts his love. Unwilling to be shaped by the forging fires of life, the shallow heart resists discomfort, preferring the path of least resistance. It thus avoids confrontation, fails to take risks, and settles for a disconnected and uneventful existence.
People who find themselves in this position have often bought into this specific “Happily Ever After” fantasy: “My happiness depends on my comfort.”
It’s no secret that our comfortable Western lives leave us susceptible to this temptation. Almost anything we could ever want or need is practically at our fingertips. Why get our hands dirty and start digging those rocks out of our hearts when an Amazon overnight delivery can restore our comfort?
Yet we know in our hearts that these comforts can never satisfy us. Our hearts long for something deeper, something richer.
If that longing resonates with you today, pray this tilling prayer:
Father, I confess I’ve been chasing comfort, avoiding the hard places, and running from the storms that shape me. Soften my heart to embrace your truth, even when it’s difficult. Strengthen my roots so I won’t wither when challenges come. Teach me to trust that you are with me, even in the struggle. I release the fantasy of an easy life and surrender to the deep, transformative work you are doing within.
