Black & White

I have recently read the book Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community…While We Still Can by Tim Downs. This book talks about the fact that we as the Church are still working on bringing in a harvest of souls, although we have not spent very much of our time over the last several decades tending the crop. We are expecting an abundance of people to be receptive to the message of Jesus when we have done little to prepare them to receive that message. In other words, we want to reap without doing the preparation of planting seeds, watering the ground, pulling the weeds and so on.

I have felt this in my heart for several years now, but just have not quite been able to put it into words. This morning while getting ready for church, I had a few minutes to wait before the rest of my family was ready. During that time, I decided to read some of my bible. I just opened it up to Matthew chapter 13 and started reading. Verses 1-23 are titled The Parable of the Sower. As I read it, I realized that it was talking about this very thing.

It may not have been directly stated, but it was there nevertheless. Jesus tells of the farmer who sowed his seed and much of it did not produce very well. Some seed fell on the path and was eaten by the birds. Others fell in shallow soil and was scorched by the sun or fell among thorns that choked the plants out. These problems all relate to areas in our world today.

Jesus goes on to explain that the seed that fell on the path is like someone who hears the message, but does not understand. The seed in the shallow soil is like a man who hears the message and accepts it, but again, because of lack of understanding or a foundation of truth, he soon loses his way. The seed that was choked out after it took root is similar to those who are distracted by all of the cares and pleasures the world has to offer and soon turn away from their faith.

All of these problems arise from the same cause. They happen because the seed is not nurtured. The soil is not cultivated. The weeds are not removed. Ultimately, because the seed does not have a proper environment in which to thrive.

If we are to have any success of bringing the world to know Christ, we first need to tend the soil. We need to give people a basis for understanding the message. We need to help them filter out the noise produced by today’s mainstream media, news, and entertainment and help them see the truth. How do we do this? Well, that is the big question and the answer will vary from person to person, but the short answer is to stop trying to convert everyone we meet. Instead we need to build relationships, teach principles, set examples, and prepare the soil.

If we do not start working on farming skills other than harvesting, we soon will have nothing left to reap.