Little stories with big meanings. That’s how I once heard Christ Jesus’ parables described. At a time when some activities in my life were ending and I was praying about my purpose and employment, I found the “seed” parables in chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel to be a light on my path. 

Examining them with fresh eyes rather than through layers of interpretation I had adopted over the years gave me new insights. The first of the seed parables is the story of the sower whose seed landed in four different situations—by the wayside, on stony ground, among thorns, and in good soil  (see verses 3–23). Jesus explains that each represents how different states of thought will receive God’s message. 

As I prayed about how to move forward, I noticed some thorns in my thinking—doubts that were holding me back. Who would want to employ someone who hadn’t been in a full-time position for quite some years, didn’t have much recent experience, or might be considered too old? These issues seemed particularly challenging at a time of high unemployment resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.