Maximum Return

God desires a maximum return for your life—when you hear, accept, and obey His Word, you’ll bear lasting fruit beyond what you imagined.

“The sower sows the word […] those are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”—Mark 4:14, 20 NASB

When sowing his seeds, a farmer knows that several outcomes are possible. He can control where and when he sows, wanting each seed to generate a maximum return. Yet he knows some seeds will achieve peak results, while others won’t.

Jesus told this parable to teach us important truths and to warn us. He wants all of us to hear and accept the seed of His Word and bear abundant fruit. But some will resist the Gospel and refuse to believe His message. Others will believe for a while but eventually fall away. Only a few will bear all the fruit that He has prepared for them.

We need to take these warnings seriously. We will all face difficulties and obstacles. Some people have a shallow faith and “no firm root in themselves” (v. 17), and they will fall away. The illusion of success or the craving for possessions will lure some. Anxiety and fear or pursuing pleasures or fame will consume some.

But some will believe and act in faith. They don’t just listen, but they also “hear the word and accept it.” As a result, they “bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”

Today, think about the abundant life God wants you to have. Make sure you have a strong foundation. Don’t be deceived by worldly pleasures, but hear and obey God’s Word. Seek first His Kingdom.

Reflection Question: How have you prepared your heart to be good soil for God’s Word?