19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
In explaining the parable of the sower, Jesus tells first about the seed that was scattered on the path. Paths are hard from the traffic compressing the soil. If you walk along the same path in your yard repeatedly, the soil will become compacted and grass will not grow because air and moisture do not penetrate. Air and moisture are necessary for growth. People can become hard to the message of the Gospel so that when they hear it, it does not sink in. When that happens, Satan come and takes away that message. If a person’s heart is not ready to receive the Word, it will just bounce off. Difficult times have the tendency to either harden or soften a heart. We need to be ready to sow the Word when we notice a softening heart. It will do no good to sow the Word on a hard heart. We are just feeding Satan. Instead, we need to be ready when they are ready. We need to be listening to the Spirit’s prompting. When someone does not understand the message to the point of insight, the message has had no impact on them. Insight is essential. We must know how the message applies to us personally. The Truth must move from an intellectual operation to a personal heart application. If it stays in the head, the necessary insight cannot take place. The Truth must mean something to us personally. It must cause a response of a change in that person’s life. If there is no change, then there is no saving insight. I think there are times when I have been hard and the Word has bounced off me, not finding soft soil to take root. It takes more turmoil, more turning of the soil before the seed can find root and grow. Are you ready to embrace turmoil in order for your hard soil to be receptive to the Word?
The Arnold Journey 