With the last blog, I ended with truths from scripture when it comes to preparing our children, that Jesus is the Sower, and the Word of God is the seeds. Jesus teaches in the parable of different soils, as well. The soils represent our hearts. I have been praying for the Lord’s lead on what to write about next when it comes to the Good Soil column of our blog. Throughout the last couple weeks, there have been continuous reminders of “the birds”. There was a time months ago when I was stumped on Luke 13. I asked for the Holy Spirit to teach me understanding when it came to describing the kingdom in verses 18-19. One morning, while I was studying, I was reminded of considering the synoptic gospels and compare. To read the same parable in Mark and Matthew and ask the Lord to direct in my seeking. When I was reading Matthew 13:31-32, I remember pausing and saying to myself, “Context, read from the beginning”. Then, as I go back, I read the parable of the Sower and how Jesus gives an explanation of what the birds are:

Mat 13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

Mat 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

At first, I felt completely dumb to be honest, because I recall the answer that Jesus gave His disciples when they asked why Jesus spoke in parables:

Mat 13:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
Mat 13:11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Mat 13:12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
Mat 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Mat 13:14 Indeed, in their case , he prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

You see, there is a heart problem when not receiving and understanding the Word. After I had my moment to be brought to humility, the Holy Spirit stirred me because He has taught me! I asked to see and hear, and Jesus answered, led, and revealed! I went from pride and shame to praise and thanksgiving! As I was tending to my own soil (heart), by praying and seeking Him in the scriptures, Jesus blessed my eyes to see and my ears to hear!

So, I see how the Lord wants me to tend to soil within myself. However, Lord, show me how to tend in my children that have been entrusted to us. I was sitting out in the yard contemplating on all of this, but my thoughts were scrambled. I wanted more clarity on what to share next. I want what the Lord wants! I was messaging my iron friend to pray for me. As I was voice messaging her my thoughts and what the Lord was revealing, I looked out past our field. The air is filled with at least 50 birds around a huge tree. I watch them as they circle,and I laugh as I am still on voice message. I tell her I am watching birds as we speak, and when I said that, they all at once perched on the tree.

I begin thinking the enemy will always be there, always perching around those who are following the Lord in His work to grow the kingdom. We forget that the kingdom of heaven is a spiritual realm. There is the spiritual realm of angels and demons! But God! He is Sovereign and in control of it all! We that are His have nothing to fear but must be aware that the birds are always perching. They are always ready to devour any and all seeds of truth that the Sower is planting! If the soil (heart) is not tended to, then what seeds are not able to take root?

As I was sitting at the table with my older children, I noticed during bible study Eli’s demeanor. Something about him has changed that is concerning. I saw slight spiritual apathy for what we were discussing. I was seeing a heart slowly, not allowing the truths to sink in. I stopped and asked him what’s wrong. He shrugged, “I read the Bible at night, but a lot of it I don’t understand. I asked him what has been his approach to getting into the Word. He says, “I pray, I open up my Bible, and then I read what is in front of me.” I asked him what he read last night. He said, “something in the Psalms, I don’t remember, I don’t remember, I didn’t understand it.”

I paused because I wasn’t sure what to say. So, we continued to read in John. Before we continued, I told him let’s read the scriptures and remember if you don’t understand something, you can always ask me. Then I do believe he read next and this verse was read out loud:

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. -John 14:26

I said, “Eli, God has answered! Let us write this verse down. So you can remember that He is always ready to teach you, when you are ready to seek  and ask for understanding.” I want to say he was excited and was stirred. But he shrugged and said, “Ok”.

But the Lord is gracious and He is teaching me as a parent. That I should always give the truth to our children. To read the Word to them so many of those seeds can be tossed, because the Lord knows which ones will take root. That I need to take time to see how the soil is doing when those seeds are being tossed. To be diligent in being aware of the birds ready to devour those seeds. That when they are tossed on the path and left to be trampled underfoot, then they can easily be devoured. That I must tend to them by praying, and asking the Lord to guide myself and Dane in tending to the soil of our children’s hearts.

Keep presenting the gospel to them, keep praying their hearts be good and ready, and be aware of the birds perching because they will always be there to scavenge for their next meal. For this shouldn’t surprise us, because Jesus has told us, through His parables, what the kingdom is like.