When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. Matthew 13:19 (NLT)
The Point of the Story – Truth and Seeds Series – Part 4
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6
Inside our hearts are many well-worn paths. Some are fresh, having only been traveled down a few times. Others are solid and stoic like concrete. Set in place by years and years of repetitious reactions, truths, and stories. Beliefs and experiences play a part in building those paths, too. They’re our knee-jerk reactions and responses, learned behavior, and familiar processes when faced with certain situations.
Think about it: Were you bullied as a kid? Did you have an accident? Were you praised for your performances, or ridiculed for your failures? Success, failure, abuse, joy, fun, happiness, heartbreak, illness… these stories and experiences form well-worn paths in your heart: responses, reactions, and outcomes as a result of your experiences.
Neuroscience calls them Neural Pathways: behavior reinforced by repetition that we revert to almost subconsciously: a pathway of response we travel down in a given situation.
Perhaps God is trying to “sow seeds” of healing and wholeness, change and purpose, generosity and hope into your life. Maybe he’s trying to tell you more of his secrets (mysteries), reveal more of his essence to you? Could it be that the Divine is trying to coax you out of old practices and ways? But because you're treading the same old paths, reacting and responding in the same old ways, the newness of God can’t sink deep.
What paths do you tread out in your heart? Do you feel like you’re going around in circles? On a treadmill?
Neuroscience also tells us that it is possible to change the pathways of behavior and reaction in our brains. We can reset The Way… we can carve a new path. It takes time, yes. It takes courage and tenacity, yes. But it brings new life, too.
In Jesus parable, the farmer still chose to scatter seeds on the path. Perhaps he was hopeful that one day, the soil just might accept his gift.
“If the point of life is the same as the point of a story, the point of life is character transformation. If I got any comfort as I set out on my first story, it was that in nearly every story, the protagonist is transformed. He's a jerk at the beginning and nice at the end, or a coward at the beginning and brave at the end. If the character doesn't change, the story hasn't happened yet. And if story is derived from real life, if story is just condensed version of life then life itself may be designed to change us so that we evolve from one kind of person to another.”
? Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life.
What same ways are you treading preventing newness? We'd love to hear your experience in the comments below
Go to Part 5 – Full of Stones »
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