Testing…testing, are you there?

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Forward and onward this week as we contemplate the rocky soil further, specifically, focusing on "when the sun rose they were scorched…but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away." What does this mean when speaking about the rocky soil of a person's faith?

Let's think about this along with 2 Corinthians 13:5-9 (ESV), where the apostle Paul writes, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?...For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth." Why does testing of a person's faith cause the faith to wither away like the sun that scorches the seed that springs up in rocky soil?

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away…As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

-Matthew 13:5-6 & 20-21 (ESV)

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As I ponder these verses, the line "You can't HANDLE the truth!" from the movie A Few Good Men, echoes in my head, so I think I'll drop some truth bombs about a rocky soil faith. Truth #1: Faith is a relationship of trust between a believer and Jesus/God. For those of rocky soil faith, the relationship with Jesus/God can be described as acquaintance-like. You kinda know about the Lord and can pray, but He's mainly on the periphery. Truth #2: When rocky soil faith is tested by troubles or trials or harassment or vitriol, the minimal knowledge and understanding of the Lord causes the rocky-soil faith to dry up and wither since it cannot stand against whatever tribulation or persecution comes forth. Truth #3: With rocky soil faith, the heart, mind and/or will are disconnected in the understanding that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life." Intellectually, some people look at faith as a mental exercise or a philosophy. For others, faith has to be "felt". I think this is a rocky soil type of person who often struggles in submitting to God's will over his or her own because there is a lack of meeting of mind, heart and will.

Do these truth bombs resonate with you? Why or why not? Have you ever been this type of soil? Did something change you? What was it?