Seed, soil and fruitfulness – are we receptive to God’s word for us?

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells a story about seed being sown that lands on all different kinds of soil – a hardened path, rocky shallow soil, soil that is choked by weeds and thorns, and good soil that helps a healthy harvest grow. It is tempting to simplify the story down to those who accept the gospel of God’s kingdom and those who reject it. But the story is more subtle than that – it talks about the heart condition that promotes receptivity towards God, and the kinds of things that can prevent us from having fruitful lives in Him.