The Sower

The Sower

Cast:  Two people, men or women, sitting on a curb or at a table.  One of the two has head in hands feeling discouraged.  The second of the two is listening and nodding agreement.

Set:  Anywhere that two people can sit side by side—a curb, a table, a bench, etc.

This evangelism stuff must not be for me.

Oh?

Yeah it just seems that very few get it and respond.

Path, rocks, weeds, fertile.

Whatever.  It’s like some just don’t understand.  I think maybe they think this life is all about them and what they can get.

Path.

Whatever.  Others seem to sort of get it but don’t dig into this really good news much.  They listen for a while then they are gone.

Rocks.

Yeah, OK.  Others seem to hear and think it’s really great stuff and the next thing you know they are too busy to move closer to God.  You think they are ready to profess their faith but they get swallowed up in the busyness of their lives.

Weeds.

You’re not much of a conversationalist, are you?

I prefer to consider myself succinct.

Whatever.  There are a few that do receive this good news and respond by claiming this wonderful and free gift of salvation by professing Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Fertile.

What is it with you and these one word replies?

You are the sower that Jesus talked about in one of his parables.

Really?

The seeds planted on the path are not going to grow.  That’s where people walk not where they plant crops.

OK.

The ones in the rocks seem to get started but there is no place for the roots to go.  They fizzle out quickly.

I can attest to that.

Some get planted among the weeds and the weeds—the busyness of the day—seems to choke out the eternal message of hope and salvation.

That one seems the most common.

But some do land on fertile soil and produce fantastic crops.

I don’t know if I like this parable or not.

Why?

Does that mean that some people are the path and will never understand?  Or some or rocks and only get it a little but can’t dig in to really grasp the good news?  Or that some will never give up the busyness of the world and will never be saved?

You could look at it that way, or perhaps instead of each place where the seed was planted being a group of people, what if we saw it as the condition of their hearts?

As I belong to this Whosoever Will May Come bunch of people, I like that better than saying some people never had a chance.

Thought that might hit home.

So, should I just reach out to people who are fertile ground?

No.  That presumes that you are the only person or force at work here.

You are telling me not to discount the work of the Holy Spirit.

Exactly.  The Holy Spirit can move a hardened heart to one of good soil in an instant.

What about when the word falls on good soil?

Water.

Water?  I don’t remember that in the parable.

It’s not, but it’s in the Bible.  Just hang in there, preach the good news, and don’t carry the burden of how people respond all on your shoulders.

But when they get it, water.  I’ve got it.

And if they struggle, fertilize, but that’s a different parable.

I am good with just this one for now.  I am going to keep sowing seeds of faith.  I can handle that.

His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  Don’t be discouraged.  You are on the right track.  Feeling better?

[Getting up and walking off.]

Absolutely!  Why am I sitting here when I could be sowing seeds?

Nice talking to you as well.

The end.