The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
Jesus’ parable of the sower is a sobering picture of how different people respond to God’s Word. Of all the four soils Jesus describes, the thorny soil is the one that gives me great pause. What are the concerns in my life that I’m not trusting God with? How much personal security am I tying to my financial wellbeing? What about life’s everyday pleasures and amusements that I become so easily attached to and distracted by?
The thorns Jesus describes don’t immediately kill the seed – they choke it over time. It’s really easy for me to allow these “thorns” in life to compete for the nutrients that grow my faith and maturity in Christ. And it can happen so subtly and so gradually that I’m not even aware of it when it happens. One day, I feel strong in my faith. Then, little by little, the cares of this world creep in – worry about the future, the pull of success, the constant distractions of entertainment, and on and on it goes. Before I know it, my spiritual life feels stagnant, crowded out by everything else.
Jesus’ warning here isn’t just about avoiding sin; it’s also about keeping our hearts free from anything that stunts our growth in Him. A thorny heart is one that’s divided – trying to hold on to God with one hand while clinging to the world with the other. But faith thrives in undivided soil, where the Word is nurtured and unhindered by competing loyalties.
Is there anything choking out your growth in Christ today? If so, don’t ignore it. Ask God to reveal the thorns to you and, with His help, start pulling them up – one by one.
Former Blackout Artist 