Are You ‘Scorched’?
“But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.”
As the color begins to turn and the weather cools, I am reminded of the parable in Mark that compares our spiritual life to that of a sower. The reminder in verse 6 is especially challenging. Mark 4:3-6 states, "Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away."
This parable deals mostly with surface growth. A seed will germinate and begin to grow, but without a proper root system, it soon withers away. Such surface growth is also detrimental to our spiritual life. Too often, it is easy to confront the surface areas of our lives while neglecting the root issue of our heart.
This type of surface Christianity will be tested as the heat of trials intensifies. Will we be "scorched" as the seed was in this parable? If we wither and fail to produce fruit, we miss our purpose in life as Christians.
So, as we enjoy the blessings and fruit of this fall season, let us not become solely focused on the surface issues of our lives. Instead, spend more time caring for the root issues so that we can produce more fruit for the Lord!