Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

“But the good seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears God’s word and understands it.” Matthew 13:23

God calls us to bear fruit through understanding and obedience. God wants us to cultivate a heart receptive to His word that leads to spiritual growth and impact. In this particular parable, Jesus describes different types of soil to represent how people respond to the "word of the kingdom" (God's message or truth).

• The "seed" is the Word of God.
  
• The "soil" is the heart or condition of the listener.
  

In verse 23, the "good soil" represents someone whose heart is open, receptive, and ready to respond to God's Word. They don’t just hear it—they understand it, internalize it, and let it transform their life. As a result, it leads to spiritual fruitfulness—symbolized by the multiplied crop.

When we approach life with a kingdom mindset, everything we do should be to ensure that we are preparing ourselves to invite others to know, love, and follow Jesus. Before we can be intentional about inviting others, we must be sure of the condition of our hearts. Take time this week to lean into God’s Word and cultivate the seed so that it might produce spiritual growth and impact in a way that makes others want to know, love, and follow Him, too.

In what ways has God called you to serve others? Have you reflected on the needs within your community or your church? So many times in my life, I have answered the call to serve thinking that I could be a blessing to others through serving, but the true blessing is what I receive in what answering the call does to transform me. Challenge yourself to step out in faith to answer a need within Venture. Don’t know where to start? Sign up for the next Venture 101 class at your campus to answer your questions and help you prepare to serve.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.