Clean your room, please.  Put your clothes away.  Don’t bring dirt in the house.  These (and many others) were statements readily heard by my children as they were growing up.  I repeated them hoping they would stick and my children would learn to appreciate order and cleanliness the same way I did.  (It’s okay – you can laugh out loud.  I am.)

God (best parent ever) uses repetition, as well.

One of my favorite Bible parables does this very thing.  Told from Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s individual perspectives, the parable of the sower is emphasized three separate times.  It is abundantly clear that whatever Jesus was saying within the framework of this parable is important, should be studied, understood, and above all, applied to our lives.

To sum it up, this parable tells the story of a sower who went out to sow and the seed fell on four different types of ground – 3 of which offered the seed little to no growth opportunities.  But, the last ground described – the “good ground” – provided the seed with ample nourishment to grow and bear fruit.

Jesus explained that God is the sower, we are the seed and the goal is to be planted in that good ground in which we receive the Word of God, learn, grow AND produce life-changing fruit.

But, here’s the kicker – there are varying degrees of fruit production. 

“…the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23) Mark repeats this point in his account, too. (Mark 4:20)

Do you know what that means, friends?  That means, as Christ-followers, we all do not produce the same amount of fruit – and, I would go even further to point out, the fruit doesn’t grow at the same rate in all of us, either.

Which leads to this thought-provoking question: How often have you secretly looked at a brother or sister in Christ and wondered why they appeared to be growing so much quicker than you?  Why is it every time you turn around, they’re just popping out fruit left and right?  Perhaps, you find yourself asking, “What’s wrong with me?”

Our temptation to compare and contrast our fruit-bearing amongst ourselves is so dangerous and harmful!  Not only does it put us squarely in the hotseat of being judgmental (to others AND ourselves), but it removes all sense of understanding and compassion that God created us UNIQUELY – not as clones.  He works in each of us INDIVIDUALLY – not as a mass.

The rate at which we grow in Him and the fruit that we eventually produce because of Him is all up to Him to decide.  He is the Sower who graciously cultivates us so that we grow in His time as He is pleased to work in us!

Wrapping our hearts and minds around that beautiful truth frees us up to bear fruit not compare it.

There will always be people “doing more” (or less) than us.  That’s okay.  Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and let our roots sink deep into that good soil so that we can obediently bear whatever amount of fruit God wants in us – 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!