Disclaimer: From time to time I'll share with you what I'm "getting out of the Word" but I'm in know way saying this is the right or only take on what is really being said. This is just a window of what I'm learning....and may learn otherwise later on on my journey. With that said....
Yesterday morning I started off reading Mark 4 in the Phillips translation (my standby lately for a fresh perspective...try it sometime!). Jesus tells the story of the man who sows the seed on different types of soil. The seed represents the message and the different soils represent the different states of men's hearts that hear the message. (all quotes taken from Phillips 4:1-20)
So often I mistakenly think ministry is just the harvest, when the seed brings back a crop 30, 60 or 100 fold. After all, that is what is usually glorified and celebrated (and rightly so). But ministry is so much more often the sowing of seed on the roadsides of life where you are in the thick of enemy territory and he stands ready to "take away what has been sown in their minds" (Phillips 4:15). For me, this is the campus, where false teaching in the classrooms, tv and movie screens full of degrading images, and ipods are at the ready to distract and isolate the average student. The soil is hard and full of distrations as we go back again and again sharing the Good News to anyone who will listen.
Long before we can see any kind of harvest, we must endure the lengthy removal of rocks in the soil of their hearts. Broken homes, abuse, substance addictions, the list goes on. All of these hits taken early on in life make their hearts ready to hear "the message without hesitation and accept it joyfully. But they have no real roots and do not last..." because no roots can go down with all the rocks in the way. The ministry in this soil must start with their woundedness, and letting the gospel slowly work out the rocks one by one. For some this takes months, others years. Eventually though, the soil is ready to reproduce.
And if we aren't dealing with their rocky woundedness, their hearts are often full of the thorny soil which is so abundant in the affluent America. The constant competition with the riches of life and other ambitions that "choke the life out of what they have heard." Only when they grow weary of these empty promises do they turn to hear about Real Life.
Though I live for the highs of seeing a life reproduce, I'm reminded that much of the ministry work I do is tilling the hard soil, removing the rocks and thorny bushes. And when I do stumble upon rich soil that is ready to and willing to receive and reproduce a hundred fold, I know it is only because someone (probably many someones) have labored years before me preparing the soil that I get the joy of harvesting.
Today I read in Jim Petersen's book, "The Insider" that:
"intentionally discipling our children; giving priority to passing on to them the spiritual legacy
we have received, with the vision that they, too, will embrace theri calling to do the same.
This is the greatest gift a parent can give a child. It is the gift of life and hope." (p 54).
While my heart is to invest in the soil of women around me, I cannot ignore my first calling to be preparing the soil of my children's hearts. I hope to send them out with as little rocky wounds as possible (though I know there will be some). I pray that someday someone will invest into their lives in a way they could never receive from me. And that they will be ready and willing to reproduce 30, 60 even 100 fold for the Kingdom of God. If you have a moment, please pray for their spiritual journeys...I'd be ever so grateful!
You are Boy-Trapped if: You have little plastic army guys guarding your fireplace. Your decorative pillows are more often part of a fort than ambiance. There is always a little boy voice on the other side of the bathroom door. Every time you settle down to read your Bible there is a boy in your lap. Every surface in your house is covered in lego fortresses...and you wouldn't have it any other way!
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