The Soil of Obedience

I’ve spent a lot of mental and physical energy trying to grow grass - easier said than done.

Right now, we have bare spots popping up in our lawn. I’ve pondered that problem. I’ve taken a shovel and dug under and around those spots because I thought it might be grubs. I have not yet determined the source of the problem.

I’m good at growing weeds, but I’m not so good at growing grass.

When I share this challenge with others one of the first questions I receive is “Have you had your soil checked?” My soil checked? How do you check your soil? Who checks soil? What are they looking for? It’s dirt, right?

I’m coming to learn how important your soil is to growing grass. It can be too sandy, too acidic, not acidic enough, needing lime, etc. I’m learning that what you plant your grass in will have a huge impact on how it grows (or not).

We are all familiar with the parable Jesus taught about good soil (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15). Your seed won’t grow on the path. It will struggle growing if choked out by weeds. If the soil is shallow, you’ll see little growth. But if the seed lands in the good soil, growth is inevitable.

We can’t make ourselves grow; that’s God’s work. But we are responsible for where we place ourselves and who we place ourselves with. We can decide where we place our seed.

I want to suggest and challenge us to place our seeds in the soil of obedience.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7

One of the interesting things about the book of Colossians is Paul’s emphasis on the challenge of false teachers, false philosophies, and deceit. He was very concerned that the Colossians had the right understanding of faith. What they believed mattered and he wanted to make sure they believed in Jesus Christ as Lord “as you were taught.” Paul recognized that false teachings lead away from Christ and undermine what it means to live for Him. Plus, if you no longer have faith in Christ as the Lord, Son of God, Messiah, then you no longer obey. Why would you? It’s easy to move from Christ as Lord to you as Lord.

What we believe matters. If that is undermined, if we allow false teachings to find a place in our lives, it is reflect in how we live. We don’t live for Him; we live for ourselves.

What we believe directly affects what we do.

If we believe in Christ as Lord and that we are His, we do what He tells us to do. We obey. We are planted in the soil of obedience.

Consider for a moment where that has led you. Consider what has happened when you sought to obey. I bet you grew. I bet it wasn’t easy. I bet you look back and are glad you did obey.

When we obey, we grow. (Growth doesn’t mean easy or only good feelings. Growth is often very hard.) When we obey, God puts us in places and with people where growth happens. It’s important to remember that this obedience in not simply into church or with Christians. The soil of obedience will take us into the lives of those in need, we’ll be challenged, we’ll have to trust in God’s help, we’ll be uncomfortable, and we even may experience rejection and persecution. But we’ll grow.

Live your life in Him, it says in Colossians. Rooted and built up in the faith. Abounding in thanksgiving. When we put ourselves in the soil of obedience, our foundation (roots) will grow and deepen. Our character, person will develop (be built up). We won’t remain the same. And proof that this growth is taking place will be the experience of abounding in thanksgiving.

A couple obedience questions:

1. Are you in God’s Word? This is the soil of obedience.
2. Are you encouraging others to grow in faith? This is the soil of obedience.
3. Are you giving your time and money to Him for His work? This is the soil of obedience.
4. Are you taking time to pray and listen to God? This is the soil of obedience.
5. Are you offering Him your job/career/future? This is the soil of obedience.
6. Are you abounding in thanksgiving? This is a sign you are in the soil of obedience.
7. Are you making decisions dependent on His direction? This is the soil of obedience.
8. Are you reaching out to those in need around you? This is the soil of obedience.

And on and on the list goes.

Obedience leads to growth. Obedience reflects what you believe.

If you look at how you live (what’s important, priorities, focus, use of time and money), what do you believe?

Are you growing? Apart from obedience, growth is stunted and even at times non-existent.