Take Care How You Hear: A Warning from Jesus

Take Care How You Hear: A Warning from Jesus

As Christians, we know that reading the Bible is important. It’s where we learn about God, His character, and His plan for our lives. However, many of us struggle to maintain a consistent Bible-reading habit. We get busy, we get distracted, and before we know it, we haven’t opened our Bibles in weeks or even months.

But the consequences of falling out of the habit of reading the Bible are serious. In fact, Jesus warned us about the dangers we face when we neglect to listen to God’s Word. In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells the story of a farmer who sows seeds in different types of soil. Some of the seeds fall on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil.

When we hear this parable, it’s easy to assume that we’re the good soil. After all, we’re Christians, right? We love God and want to follow Him. But before we pat ourselves on the back, we need to take a closer look at the other types of soil in the story and ask ourselves whether we might be more like them than we realize.

The Seed on Rocky Ground

In the parable, Jesus says that some of the seeds fell on rocky ground. These seeds sprouted quickly, but because the soil was shallow, they didn’t put down deep roots. When the sun came up, the plants withered and died.

What does this mean for us? It’s possible to be like the person who hears the Word of God and is excited about it at first but doesn’t follow through. This is someone who might attend church regularly, read their Bible occasionally, and even get involved in a small group or Bible study. They’re enthusiastic about their faith, but they don’t take it seriously enough to make it a priority in their life.

We might be this person if we find ourselves getting excited about a sermon or a devotional but not following through with action. Maybe we feel convicted about something, but we don’t take steps to change. Or maybe we start a Bible-reading plan but give up after a few days because it’s too hard or we don’t have time.

Jesus warns us that this kind of response to His Word won’t lead to lasting growth. We might feel good in the moment, but when trials come or when we’re faced with temptation, we won’t have the spiritual resources we need to stand firm.

The Seed Among Thorns

In the parable, Jesus says that some of the seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

This represents the person who hears the Word of God but is distracted by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth. This is someone who is more concerned about their job, their finances, their relationships, and their hobbies than they are about their relationship with God.

It’s easy to be this person in our culture, where we’re bombarded with messages telling us to pursue success, happiness, and comfort at all costs. We might be so busy chasing after these things that we don’t even realize we’re neglecting our spiritual lives.

Jesus warns us that if we’re more concerned about the things of this world than we are about Him, we won’t bear fruit. We might look successful on the outside, but on the inside, we’ll be spiritually empty.

The Seed on Good Soil

Finally, Jesus says that some of the seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop. This represents the person who hears the Word of God, understands it, and puts it into practice.

But how do we become this kind of person? How do we ensure that we’re cultivating good soil in our hearts so that we can grow spiritually?

1. Make Bible Reading a Priority

One of the most important things we can do to cultivate good soil in our hearts is to make Bible reading a priority. This means carving out time in our schedules to read and study God’s Word, even when it’s hard or inconvenient.

We might need to wake up earlier, turn off the TV, or say no to other commitments in order to make time for Bible reading. But if we’re serious about growing spiritually, we’ll make it a priority.

Psalm 1:2 says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” When we delight in God’s Word and meditate on it regularly, we’ll be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1:3).

2. Ask the Holy Spirit for Help

Another key to cultivating good soil is to ask the Holy Spirit for help. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13) and help us understand the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:14).

When we come to the Bible with an open heart and a willingness to learn, the Holy Spirit will reveal things to us that we might not have seen otherwise. He’ll help us apply the Word to our lives and give us the strength we need to obey.

3. Surround Yourself with Believers

Finally, we can cultivate good soil by surrounding ourselves with other believers. When we’re part of a community of Christians who are committed to following Jesus, we’ll be encouraged, challenged, and held accountable.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

When we’re part of a community of believers, we’ll be more likely to stay on track with our Bible reading and our spiritual growth. We’ll have people to pray for us, to listen to us, and to challenge us when we’re not living up to our potential.

Conclusion

Jesus’ warning in the parable of the sower is a reminder that we need to take care how we hear. If we’re not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking that we’re already good soil and don’t need to make any changes in our lives.

But the truth is that we all have areas where we need to improve. Maybe we need to make more time for Bible reading, ask the Holy Spirit for help, or get more involved in a community of believers. Whatever it is, let’s take Jesus’ warning seriously and make the necessary changes to ensure that we’re cultivating good soil in our hearts.

When we do, we’ll be like the person who hears the Word of God and produces a crop, yielding thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown (Mark 4:20).