A Good Heart

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Matthew 13: 8

Matthew 13: 23, Mark 4: 20, Luke 8: 15

Jesus ends this teaching with giving understanding to his disciples on what it takes to have a good heart. While Matthew and Mark stick with the metaphorical language concerning seed in a good heart. Luke makes it very plain.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Luke 8: 15

This heart (or ground) was not hardened and indifferent like the way side heart. This heart was not selfish like the stoney heart. This heart was not lazy and filled with the cares of this world like the worldly heart. This heart was honest and it was good. The word honest here comes from the Greek word kalos which can be translated as valuable or virtuous. The word good comes from the same Greek word. In other words, Jesus wanted to emphasis the true value of this type of heart in kingdom of God.

GOOD GROUND

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy: break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10: 12

Fallow ground is untilled ground. It is ground that is unprepared to receive seed. The scripture writer places the burden upon the hearer to do something about the ground to prepare it for sowing. It was incumbent upon the listener to prepare his ground and then the Lord would rain righteousness upon him/her. Again going back to our gardening analogy, the first time you prepare the ground for gardening is oftentimes the hardest time. The ground was previously not used for planting crops. Therefore it most be tilled and oftentimes enriched with fertilizer in order for it to be ready for planting. Before tilling the ground, it may have to be cleared of weeds and other growth, just to become stable enough for planting.

The act of repentance in the heart is much like this clearing and tilling of the fallow ground. In dealing with the heart, one must come to a place where they are honest about their “fallow” condition and want to do something to change that condition. They must be able to see that their heart is not in a condition to truly receive the Word for it to have an affect in their lives. They must see that the “growth” that they have allowed (oftentimes over many years) is doing nothing to bring value in their lives. As we studied in the previous lessons those “growth” conditions, whether they be indifference, selfishness, laziness or worldliness, detracts from the true value that lies within the heart, if only that “stuff” could be rooted out and done away with.

Repentance prepares the heart; just like tilling prepares the soil. However, the Word still must be planted; just like the seed must be planted in the good ground. Repentance without the Word is just good intentions. It brings no real value. The word must be planted and then maintained in order to produce fruit to perfection.

WAITING

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 31

The farmer does not just plant his seed and find growth the next day. Neither does he plant and then just wait in the house until the crops are ready for harvest. Waiting, in this instance, is not inactivity. Waiting, in this instance, is active. The farmer must constantly weed and fertilize. He must watch the weather to determine if his fields need extra water. He must understand the type of soil that he has planted in and provide the correct nutrients to the soil. He is a man who must understand agronomy, meteorology, agriculture and photosynthesis. He may not have college degrees in these sciences. However, there must be, not only, an intuitive knowledge but a knowledge obtained through practice. This “waiting” requires not only knowledge but wisdom and patience.

The heart that receives the Word and keeps it allows the word to work patiently in their lives. Remember the Word is Jesus Christ. The process of keeping Jesus in our lives is based upon having a true relationship with him. That relationship is active not passive. That relationship takes work; not so much on the Lord’s part as it is on our part. Growth comes when the relationship is maintained and Jesus is allowed to work “in the soil.” There may be times that we need for Jesus to cultivate around our heart. There may be times that He may need to help us root out the weeds. There may be times that he needs to water our hearts … and then there is just those times of truly waiting and trusting in Him. Isaiah says that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength … sounds like growth to me.

SOME A HUNDREDFOLD, SOME SIXTYFOLD, SOME THIRTYFOLD

I have to admit that I do not fully understand what Jesus was teaching here. However, Luke differs from the other writers when he states “bring forth fruit with patience.” A farmer may not have a bumper crop the first year that he plants in his field. However, the best way to increase his yield is to rotate his crops (or seed) on a systematic basis. Crop rotation ensures that the nutrients remain in the the soil and it is not overused. The same could be said of our soil or hearts. There is no one-size-fits-all Gospel. Neither should a “pet” doctrine be the only thing that is planted in, especially, a young heart. The Gospel needs to be balanced. A “rotation” of the Word is healthy. Jesus is not one-dimensional and therefore our relationship should not be one-dimensional or “pet” doctrine-based either. There are times that Jesus is a friend and a brother. There are times that He is an admonisher. There are times He is a healer. There are times, through the Holy Spirit, he is a teacher. There are times that we need his chastisement. There are times that we need the tiller to be brought back out for another season of planting. Hopefully, the ground is in better shape for the tilling and it’s not as hard to root out the stones, thorns and weeds as it was the first time.

The first year’s crop may not yield a hundredfold. However, as we keep allowing the Master Farmer to work in our fields, each season we should yield more and more fruit with patience. As He grows in us, we grow in Him. Our relationship flourishes and fruit is produced for others to partake of and be nourished by. James says “to let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James 1: 4).” This is a complete life. This is a heart that has been made whole. This is a heart of value in the kingdom of God.