Spring has finally arrived in upstate New York…just in time for summer!
Spring is the season of hope. We are full of hope about the seeds we are planting and what they can become. We are full of hope for memories we’ll make in the summer months. We are full of hope about what the next school year could bring for our kids. Spring is full of possibilities!
Spring makes the world new and fresh again. We look outside and see something beautiful every day. A different tree with a different color is in bloom. We feel alive! Spring is a wonderful time of year…if I have Allegra! (God’s grace comes to me in that little pink pill every day and then I feel alive!)
Spring isn’t just a season of watching the flowers grow it’s also a season of work. Spring is the season of planting. What we choose to plant during this season of Spring will determine what we experience in the other 3 seasons.
Everything we enjoy right now in Spring is because someone or something planted a seed in the right soil.
Of course, seeds aren’t the entire picture, we also need to have the right soil. They work together.
I’m learning this with my yard. Last summer I tried to repair our lawn from where the previous owner’s golden retriever tore it up. I purchased the best grass seed you could buy, but it didn’t take root because I didn’t pay attention to the soil.
This is a picture of my yard this Spring! Embarrassing!
If you neglect the soil it doesn’t matter how great your seed is.
Jesus told a story about seeds and soil. It was a story about our souls. The story compares our soul to soil and he said the best thing in life can’t take root if the condition of our soul isn’t right (Luke 8:4-15).
In Jesus’ story, some of our souls are like hard dirt that has been walked on over and over. Just like dirt can become hardened from being trampled on so can our soul. We can close ourselves off from anything good taking root in our life.
Jesus also said some of our souls can be shallow. Growth starts off strong but because of a lack of deep roots the gains we’ve made are lost.
The third type of soil Jesus talked about was one that I’ve seen many times. I’ve seen it happen to good people who didn’t pay attention to their soul. Jesus said they start off with promise and hope. They made the effort to put down deep roots and everything is growing strong, but it doesn’t last. Why?
Neglect.
Think about that for a minute…the good things we are spending so much time planting in our life might never bear fruit because of neglect.
You see not only do good things grow in Spring but so do bad things. The things you don’t want like weeds and thorns. I’ve noticed that weeds in my yard grow significantly faster than the grass I’m trying to grow. The weeds show up without any effort on my part.
My lawn naturally wants to grow weeds and it will if I neglect it. The gravitational pull of life has the same effect on our soul.
Jesus said what causes us to neglect the most important thing of our soul are: life’s cares, riches, and pleasures (Luke 8:14).
Why are those things bad? Jesus didn’t say they were bad but that they cause neglect.
Think about it.
Life’s cares…I have to get my flower bed mulched, bushes trimmed, yard mowed, and pool opened. My house needs to be painted. I have three graduation parties and two weddings this month.
Riches…I need to work a 2nd job to pay for our new cars/house. We are away every weekend with sports because my child must get a scholarship for college. If I don’t keep taking these business trips I won’t be able to advance in my career.
Pleasures…I bought this boat or vacation home so we need to use it.
Now it’s becoming a little clearer on how we can start to neglect our soul. Before we know it, busyness has crowded out anything of eternal significance. Good things can keep us from the best things.
In Springtime, you have to “work your dirt.” Lots of stuff can get added to your soul besides the seeds you plant. You can’t just plant some seeds and hope everything will turn out fine. If you do your soul will look like my yard!
You’ve got to work your dirt. You’ll have to prune activities that keep popping up. You’ll have to say no to good things. You’ll have to make sure you are watering your soul with the things of God and growing deep roots with the people of God. Don’t let life’s worries, the pursuit of riches and pleasures keep you from true riches.
How you work your dirt during Spring will determine what the other 3 seasons look like. Only you can pick what you’ll prioritize and it affects way more than your calendar. The harvest you are looking for comes from patiently working your dirt.
Spring is what you make of it. Things naturally grow in Spring. Good things and bad things. You must persistently tend your soul so the best things grow.
If we took a soil sample of your soul which would it be?
Hard…because it’s been trampled on
Rocky…shallow so nothing is going to last
Weedy…your blessings are choking out the good
Good…perfect conditions for maximum yield
No matter what the condition of your soil is right now it doesn’t have to stay that way. Your soil isn’t fixed. By working your dirt you can dramatically affect your future. It’s what your soul is longing for…space to grow deep.
