When Jesus came to live and teach among us, it was common for a farmer to sling a bag of seed over his shoulder and to walk through his fields scattering handfuls of seed onto the freshly tilled soil.

As Jesus explains the process of the seed sprouting and growing in this parable, we can see that the seed symbolizes the good news of salvation, bringing the potential for new life. As Paul explains similarly in Romans 1:16, “The gospel . . . is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” The gospel is a potent force, capable of transforming lives and entire communities. Like seed hidden beneath the surface, its message takes root out-of-sight, deep within the human heart. There it grows and matures, eventually yielding a harvest of righteousness.

Rather than hoarding the seed of the gospel, we are called to scatter it generously as we journey through life. We scatter seed by supporting missionaries or mission organizations, volunteering for a community service project, inviting a neighbor over for coffee, and more. We sow gospel seed when we nurture spiritual conversations with our family members and friends. We sow seed with colleagues at work. When we spread the good news of Jesus, we participate in the process of bringing forth spiritual fruit.