The Soil of Your Heart
As the season of morning frost comes to a close, stores from home improvement to grocery are setting up displays of seeds in their center aisles. Vegetable farmers have been planning their gardens since January and are now preparing the soil by tilling and fertilizing it to plant the seeds. Jesus often used parables involving seeds and trees to make his teachings relatable to his listeners.
Luke 7 tells the story of when Jesus was invited to have dinner at Simon’s house, a Pharisee. As they were eating, a woman who was well-known for her sins entered the house and begins to wash and anoint Jesus’ feet. When Simon sees this, He loudly declares that Jesus is no prophet because if He was, then He would know this woman is a sinner and would not accept her act of worship.
Before Jesus responds to this accusation, He says “Simon, I have something to tell you.” Simon replies with “Master (or teacher), say on (or tell me).” To put it in so many words, Jesus teaches the idea that if someone has been forgiven more, they will love more. Acts of worship and love are done out of gratitude and forgiveness. Jesus then continues to compare the actions of this sinner to the inaction of Simon.
If Simon had highly respected Jesus, he would have taken note from passages of the Torah like when Abraham or Lot had angelic visitors, they brought out basins of water so they could wash their feet. Not only did Simon not offer water for Jesus to wash his feet, but He was not greeted with a Holy kiss of friendship or acceptance and he did not anoint Jesus’ head. Simon chose not to offer a basin of water that required no expense, yet a woman with an expensive alabaster box of ointment, emptied it with no regard to price, just worship.
Pharisees, like Simon, dedicated their entire lives to studying, memorizing, and reciting the Torah. Simon has been immersed in conversations of the coming Messiah for years, but he can’t even take a moment to anoint the Anointed One.
As Jesus forgives this woman’s sin, those that the dinner table scoff at Jesus and say “Who is this that He can forgive sins?” Simon does not choose the path of repentance, so as Jesus dismisses the woman, only one walks away from the dinner forgiven.
Jesus illustrates Simon’s heart issue just 5 verses later in Luke 8:5. After this encounter, Jesus teaches the “Parable of the Sower” to a multitude that is willing to hear the Word of God.
As the farmer plants the seed, some seeds:
Fall to the side. As a result, they are trampled down, and birds eat the loose seed.
Land on a rock. The seed may sprout up a little, but it eventually withers away because it is not growing in moist soil.
Fall into thorns. They are choked out and crushed by the thorns.
Fall on good ground. The seed grows and continues to produce fruit.
In verse 11, Jesus provides the meaning of the parable- the seed is the Word of God. The question everyone should introspectively ask themselves is what will I do when I hear the Word of God? What is the condition of my heart soil?
When I hear the word of God…
Is it not treasured so that it is quickly taken by the devil?
Do I receive it with joy so that when temptation and hard times come I am not deeply rooted in the Word?
Is it a priority for me? Or is it choked out by the trends, entertainment, money, and cares of this world with no evidence to show that I am a Christian?
Do I retain the word and have evidence of it being applied in my life?
All four hearts heard the word, but the soil determined its growth and whether it would bear fruit. Simon heard the words of Jesus, but his heart soil was “wayside.” The word was quickly taken out of his heart - unless he believed and would be saved. Simon could have believed in the Word made flesh, or he could have asked forgiveness from the righteous Judge, but instead, he allowed any trace of the seed to be smashed and snatched by his carnal opinions of a popular, not a prophet, man.
Today, our challenge is to identify our heart soil and prepare it so it can gladly receive the Word of the Lord. Every time we hear or we read the Bible, the soil of our hearts must be honest and good. We must keep and retain it, and then apply it. Jesus’ concluding thoughts as he teaches to the multitude is my family is those that hear God’s word and obey it (Luke 8:21).
