The Sower
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. If you have ears, hear!
Matthew 13:3-9
Jesus taught this from a boat to a crowd so large it filled the shoreline. It is the parable he chose to explain first, calling it the key to understanding all the others.
The seed is the word of God and it never changes. What changes is the ground. Hard hearts lose it fast, shallow hearts quit when it costs something, crowded hearts let worry and wealth choke it, and open hearts multiply it beyond reason.
You cannot control the seed, but you can tend your soil. Clear the path, dig out the rocks, pull the thorns. Make room before the word arrives, not after.