I received an email last Thursday from my friend Doug Burdon in which he mentions a story told by Jesus.
That story is often called “The Parable of the Sower and the Seed.”
The story goes like this:
- A farmer is slinging seed.
- Some of the seed falls on the compacted soil of the pathway where the birds came and ate it.
- Seeds fall on rocky soil where it spouts, then dies because the soil is thin.
- Some of the seed falls among thorns where it sprouts, then gets choked out by the aggressive weeds.
- Seeds fall on good soil where it returns a massive harvest.
Doug referred to that story to make an altogether different point than the one that I am about to make, but I think that there is a solid chance that Doug would agree with me.
Look at the sower of the seed as an advertiser, and the seed itself as the message that his advertising contains.
You will notice that Jesus did not say, “Target the good soil.”
(He does not say it in Matthew 13, He does not say it in Mark 4, and He does not say it in Luke 8.)
Think about that for a moment; a pathway is easy to see. Rocky ground and thorny patches are likewise obvious.
Why did Jesus NOT tell us to avoid spreading seed in places where it is unlikely to grow?
Why did Jesus NOT tell us to target the good soil?
(Yes, I am talking to you about the wisdom of using un-targeted mass media to spread your message. The consistent, long-term use of broadcast television and broadcast radio continues to be wildly effective even though they reach the untargeted, unfiltered, unwashed masses.)
I am convinced that Jesus was familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes, which was written hundreds of years before He was born. These are the high points of what you will find in the first 6 verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 11.
“Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.” [Translation: Don’t fall into the trap of short-term thinking – RHW] …”Whoever watches the wind will not sow seed. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap a harvest. But you do not know the path of the wind… Sow your seed in the morning, and in the evening do not let your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”
In other words, “Quit trying to know the end from the beginning. Energetic activities are more far productive than data collection and analysis.”
Do not fall into the trap of short-term thinking.
Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.
Do not try to target the good soil.
Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.
Do not worry about whether or not “this” is the right time.
Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.
Quit thinking that you have the ability to predict the future.
Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.
Perhaps my beliefs are completely wrong, but if they are, then it would appear that Jesus and Solomon were wrong, too.
Roy H. Williams
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