God Is Looking for Good Soil

In Children's Story Ideas by Rachel Schultz

Objects: A rock and a large seed (sunflower)

Lesson: God’s love grows in a receptive life.

Outline:

1. A seed cannot grow in a rock; it cannot break the hard rock.
2. God’s love cannot break through a person’s life who does not want it.
3. Be open to God’s love. Then you will be good soil in which the seed will grow and flower.

Birds love sunflowers and so do I. They are large and colorful. Their seeds are good for eating—both by people and birds, so sunflowers are very useful. Here’s a sunflower seed, and, as small as it is, if we plant it in the right place with plenty of water and sunlight, it will grow into a sunflower as tall as you and produce hundreds of seeds.

Let’s see whether I can plant this seed. (With the rock in one hand and the seed in the other, try to push the seed into the rock.) Well, I can’t plant the seed here in this rock; the rock is too hard. It will not let the seed in, will it?

It is actually rather silly of me to try to plant a seed in a rock, isn’t it? We know that this seed needs good soil if it is to grow and flower.

Jesus said that God’s Word (or God’s love) is like this seed. God provides us with lots of His love. God’s love is spread everywhere, among all people, all kinds of people. But some people are like this rock—they will not let God’s love come into their lives, take root, and grow. God never runs out of love; there are always plenty of seeds being sown. But, the love that falls on hard, cold, unreceptive rock cannot grow and produce.

God wants us to be good soil, not rocky soil. If we are good soil, we will listen to God’s word and let His love come into our hearts. We will try to share His love with other people. Then our lives will be useful to God. As His love grows in us, more and more seeds of love are scattered over the earth among everyone we are around. Be good soil, and watch God’s love grow.
______________________________

Excerpted from Elder’s Guide, Volume A, General Conference Ministerial Association. Reprinted with permission. Visit the Ministerial Resource Center, GC Ministerial Association to purchase this and other helpful resources. Better Sermons © 2005-2008. Click here for usage guidelines.