THE RIGHT PEOPLE

. . . the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15).

About 15 years ago, while I was in graduate school, I hired a cattleman to sell my cattle for me on a commission basis.  He told me that Canton, South Dakota was where the market for my calves would be "hot."  So, the day before the sale we loaded a "pot" load of 600 pounders and shipped them to Canton.

I had a morning class at the seminary in Sioux Falls, but it would be no problem to make it back to Canton for the sale at 1:00.  When I drove into the parking lot of the sale barn there were only a half dozen cars and pickups there and I thought, "Oh joy! I looks like I'm going to lose my shirt today!"  With only a few bidders on my calves I thought the price they would bring would be very low and when one only gets paid once a year it is import to get the most out of them.

It turned out that it was a "hot" market!  I made some money that day.  Though there were only a few people in the sale barn, they were the right people; the people who wanted calves to feed and were willing to pay good money to get them.  I have often thought of that experince when I read this parable of Jesus on the parable of the sower and soils (Luke 8: 4-15).  The concern of the preacher is not primarily how many people there are to preach to, but that they be the right people, the ones with sincere hearts who desire God in their lives.  We often equate success in pastoral ministry with large crowds of people, but it seems to me that our prayer should be that the gospel would be planted in the hearts of the right people, whether the crowd be great or small. 

Our Father's Love,
Tom