Devotional Reading: Luke 8: 1-15

Text: He told them a parable: “A sower went out to show his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled and birds ate it, too.” (vs. 5)

Over the years I have grown to love the parable of the sower as it is found in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. I love it because it reminds me how I am called to be faithful not successful, at least not in ways that the world calls success. You see, the sower’s job was to sow seed. It didn’t matter what kind of soil that the seed fell upon. That responsibility fell to the Lord of the Harvest–the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Maker of you and me. The parable is not about results but faithfulness. Are we being faithful in living a life of love and telling others about God’s love. Like the various soils, others may or may not receive the seed that we sow. We have no control over that. Our job is to sow the seed of the Kingdom and to trust God to bring forth growth.

Over the years I have found that my least memorable sermons turned out to be life changing experiences for someone else. I have also learned that an off-hand remark may be the “ah-ha” moment that God uses to flip on the Faith switch in someone’s life. Often, I don’t even remember the sermon or remark but they do, and God uses it to change a life.

We are called to be faithful not successful as the world judges success. We are called to do good as best as we can understand the good. In the words of First Peter “It is better to suffer for doing good than to suffer for doing evil.” (3:17)

So, do good. Say your prayers. Be humble and trust that God can use even the broken threads of our efforts in the tapestry of God’s Eternal Kingdom.

Lord God, help me to be faithful in the tasks that are set before me. Let me not lose heart. If I error in any of my judgments, let me error on the side of grace and goodness. Amen.