Smell the Fertilizer

“Bad people make good soil – there’s a lot of fertilizer in their lives”

When Jesus sent His disciples into the harvest field, He told them to go to the place where the soil was the richest – “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6).

In other words, go where the sins are the greatest. Go where the sinners abound.

Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised, if Jesus were to show up again in the flesh, to see Him sitting with people in bars and hanging out with those who have HIV. In His own words, Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

Back in Jesus’ time, the Samaritans were the worse. They were hated by the Jews for being half-breeds – part Jewish and part Gentile. The average Jew stayed clear from them and their city. But one day while traveling, we read this about Jesus, “He had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). Why? Because bad people make good soil – there’s a lot of fertilizer in their lives.”

Don’t plant seeds of life where it can’t grow. You will be wasting your time trying to deliver those who think of themselves as righteous. Plant seeds where there is a lot of smelly fertilizer. Look for the flies. Look for the bugs. Look for the ants. Your seeds will grow there – never forget that.

No Turning Back

“When you delay your battles, you also delay your rewards.”

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He was destined to face His enemy. This is what the bible says:

“He was LED up by the Spirit of God into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil” – Matt. 4:1

“And immediately the Spirit IMPELLED Him to go into the Wilderness” – Mark 1:12

“And Jesus full of the Holy Spirit. . .was LED by the Spirit into the Wilderness” – Luke 4:1

The devil did not try to find Jesus, rather Jesus took the initiative and faced His enemy head on.

When we are faced with a fearful thought or a fearful decision, we often choose to go the route of avoidance. Many of us would see the Wilderness as a place to avoid, but Jesus saw it as a means to an end. Jesus knew that by avoiding the Wilderness, He would also forfeit any rewards from the Father.

Furthermore, Jesus’ battle with the devil helped to prepare Him for the ministry and His life of service. A bible college education can be helpful; a seminary education can prove to be fruitful; but nothing, I mean NOTHING can ever prepare us more for the assignments God has in store for each of us than the personal battles we all must face.