New thoughts on the Sower and the Seed

Studying this week's Bible lesson I found myself zooming through the parable of the Sower and the Seed. But a little voice cautioned me to pause and go back. This had been chosen for a reason and I needed to spend more time with it in the context of the subject. There are references all through the lesson to the Word of God and this parable is directly related to that with its explanation of the seed. I began to look deeply into how the Word of God, or the seed, affects each individual.

This Word is generously sown but we do not always seem to be receiving the blessings it promises. Error or mortal mind would try to confuse us or mislead us by saying the Word falls by the wayside. That our prayers are not heard or not effective, that we are dealing with something that Christian Science cannot heal or that we just aren't up to the level we should be. It would love to have us get discouraged and just it give up. Get tired. Fall by the wayside.

If that doesn't work, it tries to convince us that our prayers or the prayers of the practitioner have landed on rock. Perhaps that we are meeting resisitence, some problem that is just too hard for us. Or that we are too stubborn to give up a false idea about someone or something. Or even more subtle, that in our enthusiasm we feel some progress but when the full healing does not appear, we wilt. Our roots just don't seem to be deeply embedded in real understanding, just on the level of belief. When the sun beats down on seedlings, they cannot take the heat.

Just in case all that doesn't stop us, there is a third way error works. It would suggest that we are safe when we are sitting at home doing our studying, closed away from its temptations. Or that we can keep our thought on spiritual things during church services. But, once we are out 'in the world' we are vulnerable to the 'thorns' that seem to grow up around us, choking and stabbing. This can come in the form of criticism from family or friends as we choose to rely Christian Science . Those cutting remarks hurt! It can come in waves of trouble when things happen one after another and we feel overwhelmed. It is that 'what's the use' mentality. Why not just give in this once and take an easier route.

But the Sower keeps right on sowing the right ideas, nurturing us daily. The Word is accessible and right at hand. It is quick and powerful. Divine Love meets the human need. A clue is given where Jesus says that we must be patient in our efforts. A strong plant grows at the right pace, establishing good roots to give it stability and strength. It reaches upward to the light. It drinks in nourishment and refreshes itself with water. Then it is just natural for it to bring forth fruit.

I am so grateful for the gentle but persistent angel messages. It is easy to think we are so familiar with a passage or Bible story that there is nothing left to learn. But that is not true. We are in a new place than we were last time we worked with those ideas. So we are ready for new inspiration and growth. It is time well spent.

And fruitage will follow.