the parable of the sower, Matthew 13

Why does Jesus speak in parables?

Matthew 13 begins with Jesus speaking in a parable that seems to confuse everyone.
Even his disciples asked, "Why do you speak in parables?"
His answer was basically that it reveals the heart.

Jesus desires to be desired. He longs to be longed for. He speaks in
parables so that others will search for the answer if they so desire.

But in Matthew 13 Jesus actually explains what his Parable of the Sower
means. He shows that there are 4 different soils which reflects 4 different
hearts: The seed that falls along the path, the seed that falls on rocky
soil, the seed that falls amongst thorns, and the seed that fall on fertile
soil.

The seed that falls along the path exemplifies a hard heart. This person's
heart is just as hard as the path that the seed falls on. Repetitive
sinning or continually saying no to God creates a hard heart in which has no
room for God and so therefore is more vulnerable to Satan's attack.

The seed that falls on rocky soil represents a shallow heart. This person
loves God in good times but turns from God in bad times. He springs up fast
because of emotional experiences but falls easily when temptation comes.
Their roots just aren't deep enough.

The seed that fall amongst thorns illustrates a crowded heart. This person
grows to be fine but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of money
slowly choke him out. The began to believe in the lie that having more is
better and slowly began to loose cite of God.

The seed that falls among the fertile soil is the seed that God desires us
to be. These people understand that significance matters more than success
and that for every seed you receive from God you give sow on other people.

Which seed are you?

If Jesus is the Gardener (John 17), what would you ask God to do with his
soil? Does he need to take a pick ax to break up the soil because it's too
hard? Or multiplying what you have and producing fruit?

If we are not producing fruit then we are moreso like the first 3 seeds.
Let's make sure that God is doing what He wants with his soil.