our responsibility

Read this parable of Jesus & it's explanation. I have a short comment at the end.

Matthew 13

1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.

2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat.

Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.

3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

  "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.

4 As he scattered them across his field,

some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.

5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock.

The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun,

and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.

7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil,

and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."

  18 "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:

19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it.

Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

21 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long.

They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.

22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word,

but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth,

so no fruit is produced.

23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word

and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"

All of us are the farmer.

We walk among his children every day.

If we are followers of Jesus & the Holy Spirit lives within us,

we cannot help my impact & influence people around us to consider following Jesus, too,

just by living our lives & by letting His love spill out of us.

Some people won't accept it – their hearts are hard.

Some people may accept it somewhat, but will let it go almost immediately.

Some people may attempt to follow Him, but for all kinds of reasons will eventually find the life of a follower of Jesus to be too difficult.

And some people, a few, will let the truth of knowing Jesus completely saturate their lives.

It isn't our responsibility to make the seeds grow that are truth about what life is like as a follower of Jesus.

Our responsibility is to just sow the seeds of truth to God's children who surround us each day.