Hearing the Word of the Kingdom

A reading for Tuesday, May 27, 2014: Matthew 13:18-23.

"Hearing the word of the kingdom" is more than just listening. It's more than just understanding. It's even more than discerning right from wrong. It's not just study.

"Hearing the word of the kingdom" is a lifestyle, and a way of life. It's a set of priorities and values to build upon each day in devotion to the God who gives us life, and breath, and everything.

But it's not easy...

In the parable of the sower, Jesus teaches us what can go wrong in "hearing the word of the kingdom." We can miss it altogether blinded from the goodness of the word by evil. We can be early adopters, and then fall away quickly towards the next thing that comes along. We can even have the word choked out of us, in competition with all the rest of the things we try and fill our lives with.

Make no mistake about it, this is our Christian life, but it's not easy.

The good news is found at the end of the parable lesson. There are those that live this way of life successfully. In spite of all the challenges, there are some who faithfully live our Christian way. They are faithful"hearers of the word of the kingdom."

These are our inspiration. They lead us. They give us life. These "hearers" teach us what is good. We are blessed in our community by such faithful witnesses. We are grateful that God has sown good seed in them, for the benefit of all of us.

Thanks be to God for Jesus the sower.

Thanks be to God for those that hear the word and bear fruit.

Thanks be to God for "hearing the word of the kingdom."