If you’re having financial trouble, you might think that more money might fix everything. But God wants you to know that money can’t solve your biggest issues. Because those aren’t money problems — they’re heart problems.
Your heart is fertile soil, and all sorts of things can grow there. But not all of them are good. If the wrong things are planted in your soil, they can make it impossible for freedom to grow.
In a famous story in the Bible, Jesus taught His disciples in a story He told about a farmer. The farmer sows seed on four different types of soil. In some places, the seed grows and thrives, but in other places it dies. The seed represents God’s word, and the different soils are a metaphor for our hearts. In the portion we’re studying today, Jesus is explaining more about two of the types of soil from the story.
Here’s what He says in Matthew 13:22-23 —
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Jesus is painting a compelling picture of the role money should play in our lives. And there’s a lot to learn about your financial life here if you’re willing to take a look.
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Now, back to the topic at hand:
Pursuing financial freedom is awesome. But Jesus is warning us in this passage that focusing too much on money can lead to heart problems. I want to highlight three principles from this story that will help you cultivate good soil in your heart.
1) A worried heart grows distractions.
God is at work in your life, planting the seeds of freedom in your heart. But that seed won’t grow in soil full of worry. If you allow worry to take root in your heart, it will distract you from what God wants to do and choke out the seed of financial freedom.
2) A greedy heart grows deceptions.
If you’re worried about your daily needs, you might think getting more money will solve your problems. But Jesus is clear: Wealth can be deceptive. The solutions to your most important issues only come from a relationship with Him. Don’t let money distract you from pursuing that.
3) A focused heart grows dividends.
If you keep your heart’s soil free from worry and greed, you set the stage for God’s word to work powerfully in your life. When that happens, you’re going to see big results. The seed doesn’t just grow — it multiplies. As you grow in freedom, God’s blessing will multiply in your life.
Financial freedom started as a seed that God planted in your heart. To see that seed blossom and bear fruit, keep your soil free from weeds and thorns.
