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The Parable of the Sower
Here is the spiritual meaning behind the Parable
of the Sower taught by Jesus to his disciples who were permitted to know the
mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.
"Once there was a man who went out to sow
grain. As he scattered the seeds in the field, some of them fell along the path,
and the birds came and ate them."
The man is the Lord, the field, the people and
the seeds, the divine teachings. Those in the beginning stages of their
spiritual development hear his message but are incapable of understanding it.
Young in spirit age, grossly ignorant and lacking experience, they don’t know
enough to form a considered opinion. Their consciousness is still in the early
formative stage. Thoroughly steeped in materiality and entranced by the things
in the world, they are unable to see beyond to the more spiritual realms, much
less, they are unable to appreciate the spiritual teachings. They still have so
much to learn and do in the physical worlds. They should listen more to learn
more. And they should increasingly apply what little they understand and can
accept of the divine principles in their life.
"Some of the seeds fell on rocky ground
where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn’t
deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the young plants; and because the
roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up."
Those who have gone a little forward in their
development hear the message and receive it gladly because they are already
aware to some extent that the spiritual is superior to the material. However,
when the accompanying necessary troubles, trials and persecutions — the hard
lessons intended by God to teach them and strengthen them — are sent their
way, they give up at once. Because of their past frustrations and difficulties,
they lack the strong conviction they need to persist and stay on the Path. As
they persevere more, they will succeed in overcoming. And their growing faith
will enable them to carry on forward until they finally succeed in the end.
"Some of the seeds fell among thorn bushes
which grew up and choked the plants."
Those who are very much preoccupied with worldly
concerns and so easily succumb to fleshly temptations have yet to fully satisfy
these lower desires. As yet overly concerned with their selves, they are unable
to give full expression to the divine principles in their life. Motivated purely
by profit and self-satisfaction, they perform no really good service to anyone
and thus fail miserably in the fulfillment of their duties towards God. However
in time, like little children eventually tiring of their toys, they too will
come to realize that Earthly treasures are far inferior compared to the true
spiritual riches waiting for them in Heaven. And eventually, inevitably, they
will turn and change the direction of their pursuits.
"But some seeds fell on good soil and
produced a good crop, some brought in a hundredfold, some sixty and others
thirty." And Jesus concluded: "Those who want to learn should
listen."
Those who listen to the message and understand it
strive to love and serve their brothers, more and more. They feed the hungry and
give drink to the thirsty: they take in strangers and clothe them; they help the
sick to get well and visit and comfort those in prison. They are the only ones,
for now, who are on course and are proving by their deeds, everyday, that they
merit the right to enter into the life of peace, happiness and wellbeing that
will last for all eternity.
Now, we should perhaps ask ourselves to which of
these groups we belong. If we are honest, we will come to realize where we are
presently situated and, more importantly, what we need to do still in order to
get to where we really want to go. But no matter. Speedy or slow, perilous or
less hazardous, difficult or excruciatingly painful the journey, regardless, our
eventual triumphal accession to our true Heavenly home is preordained.
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