Every Seed Is a Win: Finding Grace in the Parable of the Sower

Rev. Martha reflects on preaching the same lectionary readings first on July 12, 2020 during pandemic Zoom worship and now in person, using the parable of the sower to argue that no seed is truly wasted. Drawing on her tradition of planting sweet peas and on birds’ “caching,” she suggests seeds on the path still nourish birds and may be replanted elsewhere; seeds on rocky ground still offer real moments of God’s joy; and seeds among thorns can lead to repentance and changed choices. She notes that perfect “good soil” is impossible for humans, but building God’s kingdom daily is. Connecting this to Romans 8, she describes eternal life as a way of being in the Spirit, illustrated by experiences of awe, joy, caregiving, and prayer—especially during a service in Kilauea, Hawaii that linked her to churches of her childhood and the faithful across time.00:00 Invocation And Welcome00:17 Pandemic Flashback02:13 Parables New Lenses02:39 Sweet Pea Seeds03:26 No Seed Wasted04:50 Birds And Caching06:17 Rocky Ground Grace07:05 Thorns Yet Change08:15 Good Soil Not Perfect09:14 Romans Eight Eternal Life10:23 Everyday Eternity Moments11:32 Hawaii Confession Memory13:02 Seeds In Our Bones