Without Reducing People to a Metric
Jesus didn’t chase metrics nor did He overstay His welcome. He dedicated most of His time to mentoring the disciples. He sowed seed faithfully, discerned hearts wisely, and trusted the Father for growth through the power of the Spirit. Today’s disciple-makers need the same discernment and focus: eyes to recognize receptivity and growth through the Spirit without turning people into projects or reducing them solely to numbers. Or worse, developing a savior complex—investing more in mentoring relationships in an attempt to save them from their troubles—rather than trusting that the mentee is committed.
The Tension Every Disciple‑Maker Faces
You’ve felt it. Pouring hours into someone who seems “close,” only to hit a wall or never move. Or walking away from a quiet hunger because they didn’t check every box fast enough. The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1‑9, 18‑23) offers categories for spiritual receptivity—path, rocky, thorny, good soil—without reducing image‑bearers to data points. We discern to steward time faithfully, but never at love’s expense. Jesus reminds us that His followers will be known by their love.
Biblical Foundation: Jesus as the Sower
Jesus scatters the same Word‑seed everywhere, but soils respond differently. Good soil hears, understands, and bears fruit (Matt. 13:23). Not instantly, but enduringly, with signs of growth and fruit. Only God fully knows hearts (1 Sam. 16:7); we observe moment‑by‑moment indicators that scripture provides as markers. Discernment guards against a savior complex, as not every soil is ready for deep plowing.
Markers of Good Soil in Real Conversations
Listen for these in the conversation. Not as a scorecard, but as signs God’s tilling the heart. Good soil prioritizes truth enough to reorder life around it.
- Curiosity: Real questions about God/Scripture, not debates.
- Honesty: Names doubts/sin openly, no hiding.
- Repentance: When they hear sin, the respond biblically.
- Responsiveness: Acts on light received (reads suggested passage, prays).
- Teachability: “I might be wrong, help explain this to me.”
- Relational openness: Welcomes ongoing connection with increasing vulnerability.
- Willingness to prioritize and learn: Chases deeper layers, not “Yea, I know that.”
Scripture is like an onion. It needs to be peeled beyond the dirty surface to find richer meaning (Gen. 20:6; Prov. 25:2). Surface‑skimmers stick to clichés and vices; good soil craves holiness. This peeling is a lifelong process.
| Growth Area | Lifelong Learner (Transformed) | Churched (Tradition‑Bound) | Scripture |
| Gospel Response | Revisits repentance personally | “Yea, I know” with no ownership or desire for more | Gen. 20:6; Rom. 12:2 |
| Obedience/Fruit | Vices cut and priorities shift | Habits static and church is more their identity | Matt. 7:16; James 2:17 |
| Scripture Love | Daily peeling for change | Facts, no delight | Ps. 119:97; 1 Pet. 2:2 |
| Church Role | Humbly mission‑driven | Performance for belonging or repetitive out of obligation | Heb. 10:24; Acts 2:42 |
| Sin View | Hates/confesses quickly | Tolerates under grace or dismissive | 1 John 3:9; 2 Cor. 7:10 |
| Jesus Centrality | Trusts Christ alone | Trusts rituals/upbringing | Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:8‑9 |
“We know there are unsaved ‘Christians.’ And we know that Jesus will not be fooled, even if the rest of us pretend to be.”
Dean Inserra, The Unsaved Christian
Churched blindness and stagnation is real. I grew up there, mistaking pews for power until God peeled tradition for transformation. Believing in God is one thing. Believing in the Gospel is another. We need to be on mission with Christ where He has placed us.
Guardrails: Don’t Turn Soil into a Score
Discernment gone wrong leads to burnout or cynicism. Here’s how to stay faithful.
- Danger 1: Reducing to outputs. View people as “pipeline leaders,” not beloved souls.
- Danger 2: Speed over depth. Rocky soil flares fast, fades.
- Danger 3: Overconfidence. You’ve misread before—humbly admit it.
- Danger 4: Savior mode. Exhaust on unwilling soil; God has receptive fields.
The “Yea, I Know” Trap. Surface complacency hides gospel‑distance (Gen. 20:6). Learners peel each layer hungry for more and apply it. While traditionalists coast.
Counter‑postures:
- Pray: “Show me Your work” (John 5:17).
- Love regardless and sow patiently.
- Honor seasons: Not ready for vice‑cutting? Wait prayerfully (Eccl. 3:1).
- Use tools wisely: Assessments spot patterns or trends, not labels (see our Spiritual Flourishing assessment below).
Questions to Guide Your Next Conversation
When you meet next, gather your thoughts and observations while they are still fresh. Here are some things you can journal after your talk:
- Curiosity or debate?
- Honesty or clichés?
- Reflection or “Yea, I know”?
- Prioritization or excuses?
- How to love faithfully next?
Eyes of the Sower
Observe over time. A bad day requires grace. Just maybe, God surprises. Always remember, the Lord desires your obedience because He is responsible for the outcomes. Sometimes promises turn into compliance, and it’s time to move on, as the laborers are few and scripture calls us to ignore the thorns and focus on good soil. Sow broadly, but discern wisely, trusting growth to God. Peel your own onion first. You are placed where you are for a divine purpose, so stay observant.
Where’s He calling you to invest today?
