Reflection - The Sower: New Growth

by Pastor Mandy Smith

In Matthew 13 Jesus promises that the word of the Kingdom is miraculously fruitful, yielding 30, 60, 100 times what is sown. But if we’re honest, we rarely see that kind of miraculous yield. In our own lives and ministries, in the church around the world, it’s often hard to see that kind of growth.

What’s gone wrong? Is God’s word no longer powerful? Has he forgotten his promises? Have we lost God’s favour?

In this parable of the sower, Jesus describes various things that get in the way of the natural growth of the seed.

There are two things I notice when I read this passage:

The sower sows with abandon!
The seed wants to grow.

I’ve heard from farmers that a stalk usually produces around 7 grains—so one seed usually makes seven. But Jesus says this seed might produce 30 or 60 or 100 times what was sown!

Which makes it pretty remarkable seed.

However, in our ministries we rarely see that kind of yield. So we work harder, try new programs and strategies. Programs and strategies and hard work are all good, but instead of adding, do we ever consider what needs to be removed?

Perhaps the answer is not adding something but removing something. Scripture has a lot of metaphors for removal of things that thwart spiritual growth—purging and purifying and pruning.

There’s nothing wrong with the seed of God’s word. It naturally wants to grow and when it’s received well it will grow to miraculous measure. So perhaps our best work is to ask God to show us the things we have let get in the way, to set aside old habits and ways of thinking, to reconcile broken relationships, to change church culture, to repent.

We wear ourselves out with trying to add but maybe the call is to remove?

It’s a way to trust that nothing has changed about God’s abundant sowing of seed in the world, a way to trust that the Gospel still has power to transform lives.

Here at St Lucia, after a three-year Regeneration season, we are discovering new life—growth not only in numbers but in diversity and spiritual passion. We’re seeing families and teens become part of the mission here, we’re watching people come to know Jesus for the first time. The biggest factor was not my cleverness or our hard work or a new program. The biggest factor was the things we removed—we let go of old ways of making decisions, using resources and setting goals.

Removing things may not seem like good news, but the good news is that we don’t have to make the Sower sow, we don’t need to force the seed to grow. While removing things may not be fun (and may make people uncomfortable), it is within our power. And when we do what’s in our power, we get to watch the power of God’s word at work!

May nothing get in the way of the miracles he has promised that his Word can do!

Key Questions:

What might God be asking you to let Him remove in you? In your faith community?
What new growth might God have in store?

Things to Pray For

Thank God for being the Sower who sows with abandon.
Ask God for wisdom to know what role we play (or don’t play) in tending, nurturing, and growing the seeds of God’s word in our communities and agencies.
Ask God to show us the things that we have let get in the way of growth and the changes that may be required for renewal.
Ask that we would be people who listen - noticing God’s presence, voice and leading. 
Ask God to help us step towards reconciliation and the mending of broken relationships.
Pray for healing for those who have been injured by our Christian community.
Pray for children, teens, families, young adults - that they may continue to grow and flourish in God’s word.

Prayer of Surrender

God of life,
We open our hands to you in surrender.
Hands that strive to do. 
Hands that try to make things better.
Hands that want to help. 
Please take our hands and use them in ways that will help your seeds grow.
We open our minds to you in surrender. 
Minds that work on strategies.
Minds that want to fix and change.
Minds that want to help. 
Please take our minds and use them in ways that will help your seeds grow.
We open our hearts to you in surrender.
Hearts that are saddened by the world, and the unfolding events. 
Hearts that are angry with injustice.
Hearts that can be filled with apathy.
Please take our hearts and use them in ways that will help your seeds grow.
Thank you for being the Sower who sows with abandon. 
Help us trust your plan and give us wisdom to know what role we play (or don’t play) in tending, nurturing, and growing the seeds you’ve planted in our communities and agencies.
Amen