Corn in the Soybean Field

One of the things I love to do when visiting family in Michigan is drive around and look at all the farm fields. We don’t have fields in Florida like they do in Michigan. In the fall the farmers set up stalls in their front yards and you can buy the best produce. One of our last visits was in August before the farmers started harvesting. Periodically, I saw something that puzzled me. I would see a field of soybeans. Nothing strange about soybeans, but it was the random stalks of corn that would be growing in the midst of them. It wasn’t every field, but randomly fields. I asked my brother-in-law what that was about. He said it was called “volunteer” corn. The harvest the year before had been corn and during harvesting some had fallen. Unbeknown to the farmer, it would grow alongside the soybeans. This struck my heart.

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 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matthew 13:24-30

Many times Jesus used parables about farming when teaching. Earlier in this chapter, He tells the parable about the good soil, hard soil and the stony soil. The soil represented our hearts and the seed represented the gospel. This parable in our scripture reading speaks about good seed and bad seed.

The farmer did everything right, but when he was unaware bad seed was sown in his field. He tilled his soil. He planted good seed, but he slept. Without knowing it we are all gardeners. House plants come to me to die, but my garden is usually not too shabby. I believe it is because I am conscious that my garden needs to be tended while my house plants get forgotten. Our hearts need tending as well. Not just to keep it soft but to monitor what is growing. All around us seeds are being sown. The songs on the radio, the conversations from those around us, and what we see online all plant seeds. What are you planting and what are you allowing to be planted?

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:20-23 

We need to diligently tend our hearts and minds. Thoughts, feelings and ideals get planted in us on a daily basis. How many times have you found yourself grumpy for no particular reason? When that happens to me, I can think back and usually there would have been an influence of constant negativity. Without my knowledge seeds had been planted in my field. Everything and everyone we are around influences our field. I stopped looking and listening to the news because it was planting fear in my field. We stopped my children from watching several children’s shows because the characters were whiny, disrespectful or generally had bad attitudes. We noticed that after watching, they would start acting like those characters. Just like the farmer, if we aren’t tending our fields we may not know what seed has been planted until it starts to grow.  

Let’s flip this around. Influences around us can add to the good in our fields, even water the field. There were two married ladies talking one day and the conversation wandered to their husbands. One lady was complaining about her husband. The other lady would occasionally agree with a complaint but would follow it with something positive about her husband. The second lady didn’t realize she was doing this until the first lady pointed it out. She told the second lady that she had inspired her to try to change her thinking about her husband. That was a good seed. Has listening to Christian music ever turned your bad mood around? Is there someone who makes you feel better by just talking to them? Those are good seeds. 

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. - Matthew 13:31-32 KJV

​We may think the seeds are little but they can have big consequences. You see little seeds grow roots, stems and fruit. What roots are holding the soil of your heart and mind? What tree is going to shade your field? What fruit will grow and feed those around you? What are you allowing in your field?

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