How important is it to have good soil when gardening?

We are in the midst of summer when going to the farmer’s market is a real joy. The richness of the fruits and vegetables both in color and taste are almost too much to process.

We have struggled with providing good soil in our garden. Since we live in an area which has much sand, my husband has worked hard on developing the soil. We now enjoy lettuce, beans, tomatoes and other vegetables because the soil is good.

If we make a practice of reading Scripture, we will find that in the gospel of Matthew there are many parables that focus on the way seeds interact with the soil. Why do we need good soil in our hearts? We need our hearts and minds to be open to the word of God. When the word of God can enter our very being, we can bring forth good fruit as desired by Jesus Christ.

What might stop our soil from being open to the word of God? To be open to the word of God, we need to set aside time to listen. If we do not set aside time, we miss hearing God’s word completely. When we do hear the word of God we might forget about it in the next moment. Our soil might be rocky in that it rejects what God shares with us. Sometimes the word of God is snuffed out because we are filled with anxieties and worries that do not allow God’s word to grow. Having an open mind and heart to hear God’s word will bring forth the fruits that are a part of being a disciple of Jesus.

As with our garden, it is important to prepare the soil of our hearts and minds so that we may hear the word of God and increase in the fruits that it provides.

-Helen Ackermann