"Soil & Soul" on Matthew 13: 1-9 & 18-23 by Cindy Verbeek - August 9 2026

Right now at the Nature Centre we are shrinking our lawn so it is more of a throw rug than wall to wall carpet. To do that we are creating more garden beds and of course need deep rich soil for the new plants that will be put in this year and next. Right now our soil is rich in clay which is good for plants in small amounts but compacts really

easily, so we have asked John to give us some of his soil to help increase the organic matter and add nutrients. All of this to say that it has got me thinking about soil and I invite you to reflect on soil today with me.

So right now I want you to reach down and grab a handful of soil. If you want to just take it from the surface that’s fine. If you want to dig down a bit you could use a shovel. As you feel the soil in your hand I want you to reflect on how it feels: Is it warm, cool? Gritty, smooth. Does it have other things in it than “dirt”? What color is it?

If you like, keep it in your hand as I talk and see if there are any connections that come

to mind.

First of all I want to point out that dirt and soil are two different things. Dirt is just bits of dust and rock, but soil...soil is full of life. Which do you have in your hand? According to some (very quick) research an acre of living topsoil contains approximately:

● 900 pounds of earthworms,

● 2,400 pounds of fungi,

● 1,500 pounds of bacteria,

● 133 pounds of protozoa,

● 890 pounds of arthropods and algae,

● and even small mammals in some cases.

And according to National Geographic:

“- just a gram of dirt can contain as many as 50,000 species

-Topsoil is used to grow 95 percent of our food, and it is disappearing ten times faster than it is being replaced: ...

- it takes thousands of years to create an inch of fertile topsoil, but it can be destroyed in minutes. ...

-every five seconds a soccer pitch of soil is eroded (globally)

- it’s estimated that by 2050 around 90 percent of the Earth’s soils could be degraded.

- Only about 7.5 percent of the earth’s surface provides the soil we rely on for agriculture."

So I started thinking what does the bible say about dirt and soil? Here’s a little of what I found:

The first mention of it is of course in Genesis. Genesis 2:7 says "Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

In fact the name for the first human “Adam” is taken from the word adamah which is Hebrew for land, ground or soil. We are literally humans made from humus. Interestingly the NIV translates it as dust rather than soil. I haven’t learned if this is intentional but I find it does make me wonder if it was - dust, after all, is not living but when you add God’s breath it becomes a living thing. I find that image so beautiful.

Genesis 2:19 says even the animals were created from the ground ("God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.")

Genesis 2:15 says that God put Adam into the garden to work it and take care of it, and Genesis 4:2 tells us Cain worked the soil. Humans have been tending the soil since our creation so when we create a garden or care for the soil we are in good company.

Genesis 9:20 says that Noah was a man of the soil and proceeded to plant a vineyard, and when the Israelites were scoping out the promised land the first thing Moses wanted to know was “how is the soil?” (Numbers 13:20) In a sense good soil provided hope, stability and security for a people who had just experienced extreme hardship.

And in many places it is a descriptor that points to abundance and fruitfulness - trees growing from soil, people eating the produce of the soil, and the call to bring the firstfruits of the soil (Exodus 34:26)

And Isaiah says “For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”

In John 9, Jesus “spits on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes, so the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”

And of course Matthew, Mark and Luke share how Jesus used soil as a metaphor for our heart and whether God’s word will land and take hold.

So where am I going with all this? I’m not entirely sure but as I was reflecting one thing stood out. Soil is never talked about by itself but it is often one of the elements that bring blessing, fruitfulness and healing. But it is always combined with something else.

• Good soil (for all was proclaimed very good) + God’s breath created human life

• Good soil + God’s creativity formed animals

• Good soil + God’s covenant promises brought hope and security

• Good soil + seeds + sunshine + water + God’s sustaining power brings fruitfulness.

• The ground + saliva from Jesus brought healing to a blind man

  
  

Those are all about the literal soil - the soil that is in your hands.

But the last mention of soil in the bible is the parable of the good soil (sometimes called the parable of the sower). And here’s where the application for our lives could come. Let me read it to you:

The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

...And when the disciples asked him what the parable meant he replied:

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once

receives it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is

the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Here Jesus uses soil as a metaphor to help us understand what is needed to grow and flourish.

In the case of the first scenario of the seeds falling on the path - the message about the kingdom is available, but it is not combined with understanding and so the message is not retained. I imagine this like a dust bowl with no living organisms or structure in the soil to keep the moisture.

In the case of the second scenario of the rocky soil - the message is heard and received with joy but there are no roots - so the message doesn’t stick. Jesus says this is because the person is like rocky soil - and if there is no humus/organic material a plant can’t grow, just like if there is no softness or depth to our hearts the message of God won’t stick.

In the third scenario of the thorns growing in the soil, the message is heard and received but worries of life choke it out and there is no fruitfulness. I imagine this like a field that has been neglected, over grazed or over harvested and only has nutrients enough for invasive plants like hawkweed or tansy. Unless the soil is given back it’s life with organic matter, water, and all those soil creatures the plants will not grow - just like when we don’t keep our hearts watered with God’s word our spiritual lives start to wither and die.

And finally, in the scenario of the good soil there is hearing plus understanding and they are then able to grow and flourish. When we hear and are able to understand and internalize the good news of God’s kingdom we are able to be like good soil producing a harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

So here’s I think what God is trying to tell me in all this:

Soil is found throughout the bible but is never talked about on its own - it is always in combination with something else like God’s breath, creativity, promises, sustenance and healing. Just like soil our souls are not fruitful on their own but need to stay connected to the Holy Spirit (God’s breath of life), celebrate his creativity, hang on to his promises, feed on the sustenance of God’s word and a relationship with him and allow ourselves

to be healed. We need to care for both the soil, giving it what it needs to be able to grow healthy plants like water, air, organic matter and to not kill off the creatures it depends on, and our souls, giving it what it needs to grow like God’ word, prayer, connection with other believers and so on.

I’m not exactly sure how to end this well but I guess that’s life - it doesn’t end until we return to the dust - until then...we carry on the best we can.

Let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, we are dust, but with your breath we have life. We are but dirt but with your care and tilling we become good soil. We pray for an openness to the message of your kingdom and the ability to understand so we can grow roots and produce good fruit.

Amen.