Some people are great planters, and some people (such as myself) are not. I remember hearing about a friend of mine, who had just gotten 4-5 plants from a friend... as she lined them up one of her kids walked by and said, "Oh look, death row." Apparently, she just didn't have the right touch, or the right environment for her plants to grow.

Christians like-wise need to grow. We need to continue maturing spiritually, and continue to build our faith; otherwise we start to whither, and fade away. We need to find good soil, and feed ourselves with the nutrients that build our roots, so that when things get "hot" we will not shrivel up and die.

In the Parable of the Sowers, Jesus describes the very same groups of Christians you see today. He describes the Christians that try to grow in the "weeded areas." Here Christians are living with people who are only looking out for themselves. They are surrounded by people who practice behaviors contrary to what he/she believes is right, and when he/she mentions this, these "weeds" question or mock their faith.

This Christian is faced with great challenges, and has to use almost all of his/her strength to resist their temptations of sin, and stay focused on the course. They have to fight just to survive as they are starved of the nourishment they need, and just like a seed that falls in a weed brush they will never reach their full potential.

The second type of Christian that Jesus talks about, is what I call the "Bottle-Rocket" Christian. This is someone who gladly receives the word, but does not build up their roots. They often start out with a spark, and put on quite a show, but because they have not built up roots, they are soon destroyed by the elements. Without understanding, they quickly fall to false teachings that lead them back to where they came from. Like a bottle-rocket, this Christian makes a show, but is silenced very quickly with little impact on the world.

The last type of Christian Jesus talks about is the one who falls on good soil. Because this Christian landed on good soil and received the needed nourishment, this Christian was able to develop roots to withstand the false teachings and the brutal elements of this world. As this Christian continues to grow, the seeds from his/her life are spread throughout the world, and greatly impacts others. This Christian has the ability to become a dandelion... at the beginning of summer there are only a few, but by the end of summer they cover the lawn.

What type of environment are you putting yourself in? Are you around people who will help you understand and obey God's Word? Or are you around people who will try to pull you down to their own ideas and standards? Are you getting the nourishment (reading the Bible, personal time with God, church, etc) that you need... or are you finding yourself in a drought?

How can you improve your environment, and allow yourself to grow in Christ?