Seeds, Soils, and Hearts

Matthew 13:1-23 - The Parable of the Sower

Jesus told a story about a farmer who went out to sow seeds. Some fell along the path - seeds were eaten by the birds; some on rocky places - the sun scorched the quickly sprouting plants; other seed fell among thorns - plants grew but did not bear fruit; and still other seed on good soil - plants produced a crop.

Jesus explained further that the seeds are God's messages, and the soils are the hearts of those who hear those messages. 

The first kind of heart is the one who hears the message but did not understand it, so the evil one snatches away the good message that was sown. The second one is the one who hears it and receive it joyfully, but when trouble comes because of the message it falls away. The third one is the one who receives the message, but worries too much about life and wealth, so it did not bear fruit. The last one is the kind of heart that  hears the word, understands it, obeys it and it produces a crop more than what was sown in it.

What kind of soil is my heart? Is it the soil along the path, the rocky place, among thorns, or the good soil? or if I rephrase the question, what kind of soil would I like my heart to be?

I would like my heart to be like that of the good soil - the one that produces crop. So, if God's message is humility, then I should be humble. If God's message is patience, then I should be patient. Etc, etc.  And I guess in this present age, if I really want my heart to reap a harvest of righteousness, everyday I should ask Jesus for a clean slate.