Throwing Seed in the Weeds

Reflection:
The fireworks are done, the grills are mostly put away, and if you turn on the news, it's right back to the usual stuff. Between the headlines and the endless arguments on social media, it’s enough to make anyone want to just tune the world out and go hide in the garden.

Speaking of gardens, if you've driven anywhere around lately, you've probably seen folks out working the dirt. By July, you know what kind of soil you're dealing with. You know exactly where the tomatoes are taking off and where the weeds are choking out the peppers.

Any good gardener will tell you to be careful with your seed. It's expensive. You prep the ground, pull the rocks, and make sure everything is perfect before you plant.

But the sower in Jesus' parable is a terrible farmer. He throws seed on the hard path. He throws it in the gravel. He tosses it right into the middle of the thorn bushes. He is completely reckless with it.

I usually read this parable and immediately start worrying about what kind of soil I am. Am I the rocky ground? Did I let the worries of the week, the news, the bills, the stress at work, choke out the good stuff?

But maybe the point of the story isn't just about the dirt. Maybe it's about the farmer.

God doesn't wait for us to get our act together before tossing grace in our direction. God doesn't hold back, waiting for us to pull all the weeds of our own bad habits or clear out the rocks of our stubbornness. God just keeps throwing love, mercy, and truth at us, everywhere we go, hoping something takes root.

God is incredibly stubborn about loving us. He wastes grace on the weeds.

Prayer:
Lord, we are so often distracted by the weeds. The news cycle exhausts us, the bills pile up, and our patience runs dry. Thank you for being the kind of God who scatters grace everywhere, even when we haven't done the work to prep the soil. Break up the hard dirt in us today. Amen.