Page 6 - Microsoft Word - The Parable of the Sower.docx

In Matthew 6:31-33 we read: “If God gives such attention to the
appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—
don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for

you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so

preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.

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People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these

things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in
God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about

missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be
met.’

Riches do not bring happiness. I am reminded of an old fable about a
miserable rich man who went to visit a rabbi. The rabbi took the rich

man by the hand and led him to a window. "Look out there," he said.
The rich man looked into the street. "What do you see?" asked the rabbi.

"I see men, women, and children," answered the rich man. Again the
rabbi took him by the hand and this time led him to a mirror. "Now what

do you see?" "Now I see myself," the rich man replied. Then the rabbi
said, "Behold, in the window there is glass, and in the mirror, there is

glass. But the glass of the mirror is covered with a little silver
representing wealth, and no sooner is the silver added than you cease to

see others, but you see only yourself.”

I am convinced that the good soil of life, the soil of happiness, the soil of

spirituality is found in the relationships that we build with ourselves and
others.

The last school that I administered was in reflection the one I enjoyed

the most. My appointment came on the heels of the one that I enjoyed

the least and the one that I failed my staff, the parents and above all the
students. My superintendent directed me to “prepare the soil” by
creating a detailed plan well before the start of the school year.