One day Jesus told a parable about four kinds of dirt. Dirt that was really hard. Dirt filled with rocks. Dirt overgrown with thorns. And dirt that was good for growing seeds. Do you want to hear the short story? Do you promise to listen?

Once there was a farmer who went around his farm and threw seed everywhere. Some seeds fell on the hard dirt pathway, and birds quickly swooped down and swallowed the seeds. Some seeds fell on rocky ground, and because the soil was so shallow, the hot sun quickly wilted the seeds. Some seeds fell among thorns, and when the seeds started to sprout, they were choked by the thorns that wrapped around the seedlings. But some seeds dropped down deep into good soil. Those seeds got all the nutrients they needed. And sure enough, after a few days, the tiny seeds sprouted. They produced thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times more than what the farmer first planted.

Jesus’s disciples heard Jesus’s parable, but they didn’t understand it. They needed Jesus’s help. Thankfully, Jesus explained. The seeds represent the good news about Jesus and his kingdom (the gospel). Each soil represents how people respond to the message. Some people hear the gospel, but before it can change them, Satan (like the birds) comes and snatches it away. Like the seed on the hard path, the truth of the gospel never takes root. Other people are happy to receive the gospel for a while, but when hard things come and they start to suffer for following Jesus, they don’t want it any more. They are like the seeds thrown on rocky ground that have very small roots and don’t get enough water. Then there are people who hear the gospel, and they start to think and act like Christians, but worries about life and money become more important than pleasing God. They never grow and produce any fruit. They are like the seed sown among thorns. Finally, there are the seeds that fall on good soil and produce a huge harvest. This soil represents those who hear the gospel, let it soak into their hearts, and their lives are full of fruit—like caring for the needy, loving the unlovely, and teaching others about Jesus.