Parable of the Sower: I Control the Soil

When I was growing up, I didn’t understand the parable of the sower.

It didn’t make sense to me.

If you’re a Christian, you’re probably familiar with it. Jesus tells it this way in Matthew 13:3–9:

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the 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. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Classic Sunday school fare, yes? Complete with a coloring book page?

Jesus then explains the meaning of the parable 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 their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a…