Sowing the Seeds of the Three Little Pigs

Yes, I am going to tell you the famous children’s story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. The only twist is the perspective from which it is told. Recently, I was attending a bible study, and the ladies were discussing Lisa Harper’s book on the gospel of Mark. Within the study, there was a section that discussed how a parable can be defined as a literary form of entertainment with the passing of the story through oral traditions, but a parable can also be used as a literary device that evokes the application of deeper critical thinking skills. The focus of our study was found in Mark 4:1-20 in the parable of  “The Seed and the Sower.” 

I don’t know about you (and yes, I am revealing my age), but I remember before the era of internet and cable, the four television stations signed off late at night, and the last thing on the channel was an infomercial by Michael Guido of Metter, Georgia with seeds from the sower. Dr. Guido planted little sermonettes about Christlike daily living. As a child, this parable didn’t make much sense to me because I took the term “seeds” literally, but as an adult, I realized that the seeds represented people and then this parable had a new meaning. In our study, one member discussed how she tells her students to pay attention to Pixar and Disney films. There are two audiences: the small child who loves the entertainment, and the adult who understands the underlying (sometimes subliminal) message of the film.

In the case of the three little pigs (seeds), who lived with their mother (sower):

One day their mother told them they were old enough to go out into the world and make a living for themselves. She said, “Watch out for the big bad wolf because he will eat you.” She also told them “Build your houses nice and strong so that you will be safe from the wolf. Then she said, “Good-bye my sons, and good luck!”  Did they actually hear what their mother said? She recognized the time had come for them to be independent and to seek their own life. She also gave them wise counsel on how to build their homes and for whom they were to watch out for to protect themselves. Based on how they proceeded in life, they heard their mother talking, but all they could focus on was independence and the joy of freedom in living on their own. (1)The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest and quickest thing to do. (2)The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house, but it did not require much labor. (3)The third little pig built his house out of bricks. Of course, the big bad wolf was watching, lurking, and waiting as each pig built his house. Can you hear the mother saying to them “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil [wolf] walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). What did the pigs hear, and what were they thinking in their present circumstance?

A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. (1)Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. (2) Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. (3)Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams. Jesus then said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:3-8). The question is… are you listening and do you understand? How often have you attended a service and heard the word that the pastor has spoken, but in retrospect, you have no idea what he has said or what it meant? Isn’t it interesting how we can give a certain part of our lives over to God, but we can’t always hear because of the part that we keep from Him? In doing so, we deprive ourselves of spiritual understanding. The disciples were not different because when they were alone they asked Jesus the meaning of the parable. In verses 11-13 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside, everything is said in parables so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”  If you are a hearer, be patient with those who don’t hear and pray that they will open their minds and hearts to reap the full benefit of truth.

(1) The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them. And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it (v. 14-17). Just as the first pig built the house of straw because it was easy, and he was ready to relax and enjoy life, the big bad wolf saw the house, blew it in, and devoured the pig. Unfortunately, the house was shallow in its foundation, and there was nothing left and the wolf finished it.

(2)Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful (v. 18-19). The second pig built his house from sticks. He knew that sticks were stronger than straw. He also wanted to get on with living. After all, there were so many things that he had to do, and world choices were rapidly descending upon him. Just as the enemy waits and watches for an opportunity, the wolf waited and reveled in the joy and feeling of independence that the second pig was experiencing. Because the second pig was not relating his mother’s advice to his current situation, he did not protect himself from the pounce of the wolf who would later come and blow his house in and then swallow him. Can you imagine how we become the feast to the enemy when we fail to hear?

(3) Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown” (v. 20). The third pig built his house from bricks. Great! He heard what his mother had said about a strong house to help protect you from the big bad wolf. The difference between the house of the three pigs is that this one had a solid foundation. The third pig had listened to the message; he heard its true meaning; he applied it to his life. Because he understood and kept his guard up about his surroundings, he anticipated that the big bad wolf would come after him. Because of his foundation, he was equipped to boil the water that would send the wolf away in physical pain, as well as, in mental pain because he had been defeated. Life for the third pig was a fortune that he repeated over and over again because he heard and had an understanding.

It may seem that the parable of the “The Seed and the Sower” and the story of  “The Three Little Pigs” share the theme that listening and being able to discern what is being said requires a firm foundation or a deeply planted rootedness. Ultimately we determine what kind of soil our hearts will have. As Lisa Harper asks, how tilled up would you say your ground is? Is your ground harden and without moisture or light on the top with a hardened undercoat, or unpenetrable because it is entangled by weeds, or is it receptive to rain, fertilizer, and nurture?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my house blown in, nor do I want the big bad wolf to devour me as a great feast. As for the tilling of my ground, I want it to be receptive, healthy and nourished with deep, deep roots without weeds. I desire to hear and understand and remember what James 1:2 states, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

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