This Sunday, we hear in the Gospel reading Jesus' famous Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23). ​​​​​​It's one of my personal favorites. In it, Jesus describes the four main ways people receive the message of Christianity as a seed being planted in soil. Some people outright reject the faith immediately; others, embrace it with fervor in the beginning, but soon fall away. The third group receives the Word but the shimmer of material wealth quickly catches their eye, leaving God in the dust. The final group, flourishes in the sun, becoming ablaze in God and producing an abundant harvest for the Kingdom. Why does the "seed" take root in some "soils" and not others? Pondering this question for nearly 20 years, I think I've discovered part of the answer -- the difference between the soils is the degree of need. The more we acknowledge our need for God, the greater the fruit will be in our lives.