But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:23
If you have much experience growing plants, be they for food or aesthetic purposes, this analogy will resonate with you. Different kinds of plants have different soil needs for growth. Sometimes it is impossible to grow certain plants in certain locations without putting mineral treatments in the soil. This begs the question as to which treatments to use at any given time. If your garden is struggling to grow, you may need to see the county agent and have a soil test done. These tests will reveal the mineral composition of the soil and allow you to pinpoint what deficiencies are in the soil. If the deficiencies are corrected, the garden will be more productive.
This concept applies to the condition of our hearts regarding growth and production of the fruit of the Spirit as well (Galatians 5:22-25). In Jesus’ parable of the Sower, there are two constants and one variable (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Luke 8:4-8, 11-15). The two constants are good seed and a skilled Sower. Yet, three of the four locations where the good seed was sown by the skilled Sower failed to produce. It is obvious that the determining factor in each was the type of soil into which it was planted. The summary of the good soil in Luke 8:11-15 identifies the seed as the word of God and the soil as the hearts of those who hear it.
This parable places a critical responsibility on every person hearing the word of the Lord to test the soil of our souls. We see three major issues in the text that we must avoid. The wayside soil was hardened to the point the seed could not even enter it. Repeatedly the Scriptures warn against hardening our hearts (Psalms 95:7-11; Hebrews 3:7-15). The Hebrews writer associated this hardening with evil hearts of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12). If we would avoid being wayside soil, we must have soft, receptive hearts.
The second unproductive soil was soft but shallow. The seed immediately entered and sprang up, but it lacked the depth to take root and withstand difficulty. This type of heart is willing to follow Christ when all is well, but when things get difficult, they wither (Matthew 13:5, 20-21; Luke 8:6, 13). The more we receive the seed of the kingdom, the more durable our faith will become (Psalms 19:7-11; Hebrews 12:3-11). This is akin to removing the rocks from the soil of a garden.
The third unproductive soil was soft, began to produce, but weeds were permitted to grow around the good plants and choke them out. Whereas the stoney ground soil represented failure due to difficulties in life, the thorny ground soil represents failure due to pursuit of ease in life (Luke 8:14). If Satan cannot discourage us with tribulation, he will try to distract us with pleasures, riches, etc. The trouble in this instance is that there were too many competing elements in the soil for the good plant to mature and produce a crop. Just as we must uproot the weeds from our gardens, so we must uproot the distractions that Satan plants in the soil of our hearts.
The parable makes it clear that the good seed sown by the skillful Sower can only produce in well cultivated soil. The description of the productive soil gives us the necessary composition of the soil of our hearts. The essential element is that the soil/heart must be receptive of the seed/word. The terms applied are “understanding” (Matthew 13:23), “noble” and “good” (Luke 8:15; cf. Acts 17:11). As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5, we must examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In other words, we must test the soil of our souls. Thankfully, the necessary elements of the soil have been plainly revealed for every noble and good heart to see (2 Peter 1:3).