Opposition Will Shake You To Your Core (And Why That Is A Good Thing)

I’ve been reading the book of Matthew these last couple weeks and just finished it today. Many things really spoke to me as I read this time around, but as I sit here thinking about it, one thing stood out. It is contained in the story Jesus gave about the parable of the sower in Chapter 13:

“A sower went out to sow,
and as he was sowing, some
of the seed fell along the path,
and the birds came and ate
them up, and some fell upon
rocky ground where they did not
have much soil, and at once
they sprang up, because there
was no depth of soil, and when
the sun was up they were scorched
and dried up, because they had
no root.
And some fell among the thorns,
and the thorns grew up and
choked them out. And some fell
in rich soil, and yielded a crop,
some a hundred, some sixty,
some thirty-fold. Let him who
has ears listen.” 13:3-9

I like that last part about ears. We all have them.

But the part that got my attention the most was the interpretation Jesus gave for the seeds sown on rocky soil. Rocky soil is soil that has either built up on top of a large rock layer or has a heavier concentration of rock than soil mixture. Jesus said that the evidence of thin rocky soil is one who hears the message of truth and with bubbling-over joy at once accepts it. But as we all know, truth comes with a heavy price and the message takes no real root. Suffering and persecution will always come for truths sake and the person will at once yield and fall. It seems like a man with rocky soil is not willing to stay with the truth when confronted with the suffering that will come with it, or the inevitable persecution (and that will come from the closest of those in your life). When faced with opposition, it will try the message of truth that has been joyfully and quickly accepted. Opposition, suffering and persecution for the truths sake will always test us to see where our heart is. You cannot accept truth and it do it’s work in you without it testing your heart. Will you cave to worldly cravings, give in to time spent here or there when Jesus is calling you to be with Him and study His Word? Will you leave time for the “hard” way of prayer to take up good works instead? How about all those praises of men that are waiting at every turn if we would only follow men instead of Christ?

Opposition is a good teacher to either drive us toward God or show us where we cave when truth must prevail. And truth is never abstract. Truth is a Beloved Person. Truth is Jesus Himself in real, Living union with you. It is a beautiful thing to guard our hearts and close our lives in this life for beautiful connection with Jesus to be maintained and cherished.

Paul admonishes young Timothy, “Make it your habit to pay close attention to yourself and your teaching. Persevere in these things, for if you do you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” 1 Timothy 4:16

“You must not forget your former leaders, for it was they who brought you the message of God. Consider how they closed their lives; imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7

Here is what opposition should lead us to:

“So Jesus, too, in order to purify the people by His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us, therefore, go to Him outside the camp, enduring the reproach that He endured;” Hebrews 13:12-13

Remember that Paul wrote many letters from prison. He suffered for the message of truth. But He grew strong in faith through the intense opposition.

Where do you stand when opposition comes knocking at your door due to your faith in the Person (message) of truth? Will you stay faithful to Him and suffer for Him in the face of persecution from close friends, family and neighbors because you have decided to follow Jesus no matter what you have to go through or look like to others?



Fruit will come when the soil of your heart is not rocky or divided.