Faithful on Fridays Blog

Parable of the Sower: Shallow Heart

Kids love to play with colored modeling clay; it encourages creativity and it’s fun. The soil around my house is plagued with clay but it’s not fun. I quickly learned that removal was necessary if I wanted my flowers to grow and flourish so I began the long process of digging out buckets of clay. The clay needed to go because it kept the depth of rich soil quite shallow. That’s our second heart condition: shallow soil.

Jesus continued His story (Matt. 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) describing a heart that’s full of rocks. The point isn’t the rocks or clay but the lack of good soil for the plants to root in. Strong roots anchor plants, bring in water, and nutrients, consequently, a beautiful flower or fruit. With that picture in mind Jesus explained that our hearts are like that; we were created for depth. 

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep. Psalm 64:6b 

I often hear that people leave churches because they need more depth; the teaching and preaching isn’t deep enough. News Flash! It may not be the preacher; it may be your heart. To be even clearer, Jesus described this shallow heart. You immediately receive the Word of God with joy and excitement, you last for a while, but because the good soil has no depth, the roots can’t thrive and you begin to wilt. Your faith is tested when life becomes hard and because you haven’t removed the rocks or clay from your heart, you fall away.

What’s the remedy for a shallow heart? Paul tells us that Holy Spirit revelation comes through your time with God. Yes, that four-letter word that everyone moans about: Time.

… these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10 

I encourage you today, whether the metaphor is soil or water:

Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Luke 5:4b 

God is offering revelation when you open His Word and pray.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! Romans 11:33 

It’s your responsibility to change your soil so fill your buckets with rock and clay-excuses and make God a priority for your day. You don’t have to be a shallow believer, the depth of your heart is calling out for the deep things of God (Ps. 42:7). Go for it!

… be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19