“4 Again Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water.

Mark 4:1-9

2 Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Let those with ears use them and listen!”

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed.” Life presents us with situations, challenges if you will. Within our hearts reactions lie still, waiting to manifest.

4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up.” Some situations and challenges destroy our life force, self respect, self worth, motivation even before we even get the chance to preare to start.

5 “Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. “Some challenges are hard but our hearts may be strong and we grow, and we grow in spite of the fact that we do not have a good solid support system. But because we do not have a good support system moving us forward, we burn out.

7 “Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop.” We may be surrounded by such negativity, strife, jealousy, hatred, slander that the pressure of our circumstances discourage us and we simply give up. We stagnate in spite of all our efforts to achieve.

8 Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more.” Some of us are “lucky” we have a good support system, we are encouraged, sustained, nurtured loved, respected. We prosper because we have all that we need to succeed. We go on to encourage, sustain, nurture love and respect those around us. We are honoured and referred to as mentors, loved by all who share our life space.

9 Then Jesus said, “Let those with ears use them and listen!” If we are humble enough to be taught, guided, heed warnings, escape dangerous situations we can grow. The flip side of the coin is that we can create toxic situations for others and stop their endeavours, steal their joy, fatally wound their hearts and cause their demise.

Choose this day to be an encourager and achiever. Leave a legacy that will bless those who share and cross our life space.