Parables for 21st Century Job Seekers – The Sower

I just came back from a Christ-centered job search group meeting where the Parable of the Sower came into my mind.

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.² And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³ And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, ⁶ but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears,^[a] let him hear.”

Matthew 13:1-9

(ESV)

BibleGateway.com

A few years ago I heard a different explanation. It is not the soil or the growth that is the point of the parable, but the fact that the word of God was sowed. The sower was unable to to control the type of soil it lands on and he is unable to control the growth.

God controls growth but only AFTER the sower sows the seeds.

Job Search Parable

While introducing ourselves tonight, I discovered 2 people are in the same field as a friend of mine. I messaged my friend and asked if it was alright to refer them and she said yes. So I gave my friend’s name to the 2 ladies at the meeting. They were grateful.

As I left the meeting I said a prayer that God would bless all 3 with a wonderful relationship where they could help one another.

I sowed the seed of connection between these 3 women, it is up to God to do the growing. I do not know what type of soil (women) the seed (connection) fell on – was it rocky, sandy, weedy or fertile?

Only God knows the type of soil and the growth that will follow because I did my part and sowed the seed (connection). 

More Sowers Needed

Sowers are missing in society. People who take a proactive approach to connecting one another especially if they are in transition.  By introducing your unemployed friend who is a collector to your other friend who owns her own business and is looking for a collector, you are easing the burden on your unemployed friend.

By sowing the seed of connection you might save a life by putting a person back to work, or form a life long friendship between two or more people.

You have no responsibility for growing the relationship between the people you connect. It is God’s responsibility to break the seed open, water it and see that growth happens in their relationship.

You are responsible for sowing the seed.

So. Just. Sow. It.

Then pray over the people involved and watch God work.