Didn't you sow good seed?

Ah, there is the question.

Recently I started paying attention to the questions that appear in our Bible Lesson, both in the Bible passages and in the citations from Science and Health.  There are several good ones this week and today I will be working with one from the second section. It is found in the parable of the Sower and the Seed. A crowd has gathered around the Master and Jesus is teaching them about the kingdom of heaven. He chooses a familiar subject to make his point, the sowing of seed. This only appears in Matthew's gospel.

It was interesting to read in Dummelow's Bible commentary that perhaps Jesus foresaw the scandals and offences that would arise within the Christian movement; Peter's denial, the treachery of Judas, the quarrels among the apostles, the sensuality of the Corinthians, false brethren and false teachers, the love of members waxing cold. Couldn't some of that seem apparent in our churches and our lives today? Jesus was teaching them this parable that they (and we) might know how to deal with the tares and weeds that show up on our own spiritual journey. He was demonstrating it for himself.

That 'field' might be your own family, your body, your office, your marriage, your church. It is a call to let your own spirituality mature. Learn to respond with love rather than react with anger or frustration or blame.  Don't go on some rampage of weed removal. Be still and listen to God.  Those false beliefs and errors will become apparent and easily seen for what they are. Never people, places or things but just wrong thinking and acting. The Sower knew he was working with good seed sown in a good field. So did the Master. Anything that did not belong there would be recognized and removed, without damage to the good fruitage.


There is a wonderful letter Mrs. Eddy wrote to Frank Gale reprinted in Mary Baker Eddy, Healer, the amplified version. She tells him, "The tares and wheat appear to grow together until the harvest; then the tares are first gathered, that is, you have seasons of seeing your errors - and afterwards, by reason of this very seeing, the tares are burned, the error is destroyed. Then you see Truth plainly. and the wheat is "gathered into barns" - it becomes permanent in the understanding."  Seasons of seeing your errors. May these not be the result of dedicated prayer and study? Wrong thinking is revealed and can be replaced with right ideas. As you see it, it is destroyed in your thought and removed from your experience. The whole letter is worth reading, found on pages 398-399.

So if you are tempted to wonder, didn't I sow good seed, when some problem or challenge appears, think about this parable. Love guides us to make the separation at the right time. Nothing but blessing can be the result. That good seed will bear good fruit.