The Parable of the Seed (Biblical Series #1)

Matthew 13: 3-8 says, "Then [Jesus] told them many things in parables, saying: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on the rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop-a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Anyone that has ever farmed, can relate to the images used in this parable. The times have changed. Methods of farming have changed, but the principles are the same as they were in Jesus' time.

Modern farming has a "path" of sorts. At the entrance to every field is a place where truck and tractors park and pass between the field and the road. The weight of the equipment compacts the soil. Planting equipment has a difficult time penetrating the tight soil and often the seed is left on or near the surface leaving it vulnerable birds, insects and weather. The crop rarely grows well on this "path".

Many fields also have "rocky places". When I was a kid we farmed a farm that was on a hillside. The soil had washed from the hill leaving rocky, rough soil. The soil took the seed but rarely yielded much of harvest as there wasn't much soil for it to grow in.

The third area that this parable mentions is the seed among the thorns. Every farmer has to battle weedy, thorny areas. Other plants in the field compete with the grain for moisture, fertilizer and sun. If these "thorny" areas are not tended to then the crop suffers.

The goal of every farmer is put the seed where it will be the most productive. If planted in "good soil" crops are able to find deep soil, where they can sink roots free from competition. The result is a bountiful crop.

Jesus explains this parable to his disciples in Matthew 13: 18-23. "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Jesus, when he gave this parable was actually talking about a spiritual harvest not a physical one.  The society of the time was highly agrarian. Many people were farmers and almost all would have understood how the seed would have reacted to its environment. Today's society has changed, few people actually farm, but the concepts are the same. As with physical seed, spiritual seed needs "good soil" in order to produce a harvest.

 

Old Dirt Road

We spent the weekend on the farm with the family. Each time we approach my parents house we travel down that "old dirt road". Coming down the road the red dust billows up around the car as we approach the house. The smell of fresh-cut hay mingles with smell of an approaching rain storm to provide a refreshing and soothing aroma. The tractors in the field work like ants in their ongoing task of tilling the soil adding to the visual experience. It reminds me of growing up along one of these roads.

We did so many activities on the "old dirt road" when I was a kid. We road ATVs up-and-down them doing "fish-tales" and throwing dust. Sometimes we played in the gravel with our shovels and rakes. We also peddled our bicycles furiously to power through the soft sand. We even took the long walk to the neighbor's pond to go fishing. There was no limit to the fun that we had.

When we get to the farm we remind Zachary to stay out of the road to avoid passing cars and farm equipment but few things are more relaxing than taking a stroll down the road as a family. We enjoy the wildflowers growing in the bar-ditch and sometime Zachary stops to pick one. We notice tracks that deer and birds have left in the red dirt. Sometimes Zachary stops to pick up sand and let it trail down through his fingers. It reminds me of similar walks that I took with my parents. I love that "old dirt road."

Cleaning up Joplin

The piles got higher and higher, as we moved load after load of debris. Like an army of ants, numerous volunteers cleared away fallen limbs, broken shingles, and trash. The sounds of chain saws and heavy equipment filled the air. For hours on end we labored to cleanup people's yards. At the end of the day we had cleared four lots but had barely made a dent in the incredible amount of debris deposited by the tornado. 

As we continued to move debris, the piles along the road where we placed it for pickup got higher and higher. We piled lumber, tree branches and pieces of peoples homes in huge piles, taller than a man. Skid Loaders worked to push the pile even higher. Jessica's cousin Heather made the comment that people's "lives" were all there ready to be hauled off and dumped. There seemed to be no end to the debris.

The damage that was done to Joplin when the tornado hit nearly a month ago was awesome and terrible. A strip over a half-a-mile wide was completely obliterated. Many homes were completely destroyed and the ones that were not often did not have a roof and/or were missing one or more walls. Trees were stripped bare and debris was scattered everywhere. One of our team members remarked that it looked like something out of a "Terminator" movie. It was easy to see why so many lost their lives.

This was just the first time (last week) that we went to Joplin to cleanup. Today we went back to Joplin and found ourselves on a farm 20 miles from the city. The elderly couple that lived there had the roof ripped off of their home and several small outbuildings knocked down or destroyed. We sifted through the debris, sorting out the wood to be burned, the metal to be reclaimed and the valuables to be saved. One of the buildings collapsed right on top of the valuable tools and farm equipment that it was built to protect. We dismantled it so that everything underneath could be salvaged. After working all day in the heat we had not completed the project. A new double-wide trailer had been moved in for them to move in to but they will spend weeks or maybe even months sorting through and fixing their possessions.

The temperatures were hot and the work was hard. Dust and smoke choked the lungs. Nails, broken glass and hazards were everywhere but the work was rewarding. We barely made a scratch in the work necessary but we were very aware that many more teams around the city were laboring as well. Joplin will never be the same but hopefully the work that we did will be a blessing to the people there.

Wheat Harvest 2011

In Enid the wheat harvest is wrapping up for 2011. Though yields were a little higher than expected they were still well below normal. The good news is that the price of wheat is at record levels so it still should be a decent year.

Harvest was especially fun this year. Zachary is now getting old enough to experience it first hand. He enjoyed his first combine ride and got to watch the tractor and wheat trucks that our custom harvesters brought. He also walked around in the unharvested wheat. He seemed to have a ball. Zachary represents the 6th generation of Miller to participate in a harvest on our farm land near Enid. 

It took just over a week for the harvesters to complete the job. We were only able to go over for one day but as always harvest was memorable. The wheat harvest of 2011 is over but the process of preparing for the next harvest begins.

Zachary's first baseball game.

With a new child there are many "firsts". The first step and the first word are but a couple of examples. As a parent it is a joy to get to share these "firsts" with your child. This past weekend I got to enjoy a "first" that I have waited a long time to experience. We took Zachary to his first baseball game. Jessica and I took him to Stillwater to see an OSU play. His Grandma, Granddad and uncle joined us for the game as well.

During the game, Zachary watched the crowd, ran up and down the benches, played with his toys and generally did everything but watch the game. He danced whenever music was played over the loud speakers, entertained the crowd and cheered whenever he heard someone else cheering, including fans of the other team. He rarely sat still but the experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all of us.

Over the years I intend to take Zachary to many baseball games and other sporting events but there will only be one "first" I didn't get to watch all of the game as I was busy helping entertain him but I don't care. I had an incredible time. He won't likely remember the game but I soon won't forget it.

Not every harvest is bountiful.

I have been visiting with dad about the upcoming wheat harvest. It is but a few weeks away and it doesn't look very good. The lingering drought in parts of Oklahoma has taken its toll. The area around Enid has received little moisture for the past six months. All of the wheat crop has suffered, some of it has been virtually destroyed. Dad expects yields to be well below normal. If there isn't decent rain in the next couple of weeks the entire crop could be lost.

As bad as it is near Enid, the conditions further south are much worse. In Southern Oklahoma and much of Texas they have received virtually no rain in the last eight or nine months. In these parts the wheat crop has already been ruled a total loss.

Nothing will teach patience and endurance like farming. Drought, hail, wind and calamity can happen at any time. You can do everything right and the crop still may not come in. It is a reality that every farmer faces.

No matter how bad the harvest is this year it won't be the end of the farm. It will be difficult, but the farm will continue. This isn't the first storm that the Millers have had to weather. This in no way detours my desire to return to the farm. If anything it hardens my resolve to return and continue the family legacy...feast or famine.

Mother's Day

For first time parents the term "expecting" doesn't make much sense as you really don't know what to expect. On Mother's Day two years ago we didn't know what to expect. Jessica was pregnant but we had not yet met our son Zachary. We didn't know what he would look like or what his personality would be. What color would his hair or his eyes be?  As he got older would he be shy, precocious, independent, head-strong or something else entirely?

Also we didn't know what kind of parents that we would be. Would we be patient, demanding, compassionate, difficult or all of the above? Would we instantly love this little life or would it take time to fall in love with him? How would it affect our lives? Would it be stressful, fulfilling, and/or rewarding? A myriad of thoughts filled our heads as we approached the due date.

I remember's my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.

Abraham Lincoln 

Mother's Day two years later, Zachary is now over a year and half old. Many of those questions have been answered. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He is head-strong but very loving. He is independent, very curious, and full of life. We are discovering his budding personality. Each day is a new experience.

As for our parenting, well I just do my best but Jessica has more than risen to the challenge. Nights with little sleep are the norm. There is a never ending supply of dirty diapers to change. Food flying across the kitchen floor at dinner time tries anyones patience but she takes it all in stride. Zachary has taken an early start on the "terrible twos" but she continues to love and adore him. She rocks him to sleep each night and encourages him to eat when he refuses. As Mother's Day approaches again Jessica may not be a "perfect" mother but she gives it her all. As far as I am concerned she is close enough to perfect for me and I think Zachary agrees!