"Behold, the sower went out to sow; ... " Matthew 13:3 (NASB). 
Read Matthew 13:3-9 and 13:18-23.

Jesus used a common image—a freshly prepared field, planting time, and a sower that scattered seed broadcast style. Seed went everywhere! Even with good preparation, not all the soil was desirable soil.

First note four types of soil are mentioned. One was so hard the seed could not penetrate it. One had more rocks than soil. One was so full of competing thorns that the seeds’ plants were choked out of existence. Only one was good soil that produced.

Note that one would not allow a root system. One had too little soil to support the plant. One contained too much competition. Even the good soil produced different yields. There was an impenetrable problem, a water/moisture problem, a competition problem, and no problem.

The first may not have been a soil problem—the soil was just packed. The second had too little soil, but the soil it had was okay—the seed sprouted! The third had no soil problem at all! Its problem was above the soil! The good soil was productive because it was not packed, was not rocky, and was not competing. If the packed soil was loosened, the rocky soil had the rocks removed, and the thorny soil removed the competition, all the soils might have been good soils capable of producing.

Second note that not all soils in the good soil were equal in productivity. The good news—serving Jesus Christ is not a competition! God only expects of you what you are capable of doing! He expects you to do what you can do! Be responsible! Do something, but do not worry about what you cannot do!

The question: "What kind of soil are you?" Are you so packed God cannot "get through" to you? Are you too shallow to support life in Christ? Is there so much competition in your life you choke out righteousness? Or, do you responsibly do what you are able to do to support God’s purposes in Christ? Are you willing to loosen the soil, dig out the rocks, and kill the competition to be productive soil? What does your life grow?