The MVP - thorny soil
We’re looking into The parable of the sower. It was this parable that Jesus referred to as the “key” to understanding all His parables (Mark 4:13). As such, I’m calling it: The Most Valuable Parable – The MVP. All three of the synoptic gospel writers included this parable. It can be found in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. So far, we have looked at the sower, the soil of the path, and the rocky soil. We’ve also observed that the word of God produced new life in the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil. Now we’re taking a closer look at the thorny soil:
Remember, the fruitfulness of the seed was dependent upon the character of the ground it fell on. Always the same seed, but never the same soil. Watch for what happens to the seed that falls among the thorns:
Luke 8:4-8, 11-14
As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, He said in a parable:
“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.” As He said this, He called out, “Let anyone who as ears to hear listen.”
…“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.
If we’re honest…this is the soil where most of us American believers would see ourselves. With our basic needs readily met (food on the shelf, water from a faucet, sturdy shelter), ours is an affluent society – one with all sorts of distractions.
Advertisers are relentless, aren’t they? Everything is “new”, “improved”, or something you just gotta have. The media, and especially social media, never stops for us to take a breath. Seems like everything we want to do or experience costs money. Our bodies eventually fall apart, no matter how much effort we hedge against it happening. There’s also “the unknown”, and thinking about that for too long will quickly drive you crazy. But…rather than paint an entirely negative picture, let’s be honest…there are good things, too. Lots of good things. There are so many good things available to us in this life – things that are not bad, in-and-of themselves – that, if allowed to grow unchecked, even those can cause significant issues.
Jesus made a rather interesting metaphor when referred to the worries, riches, and pleasures of life as thorns. Thorny bushes are inhospitable. They cover up and obscure beauty. But the biggest trouble thorns cause is that they absorb resources that should go to the plant. They are a resource drain, diverting nutrients and water away, which stunts the growth of the seed…and to make matters worse, as the thorns grow up, they physically crowd out anything that tries to grow near them. Growth from the seed does occur, but useful fruit is unable to be produced.
One last observation from what Jesus initially said about the thorny soil: other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. Notice that the thorns weren’t full grown at the beginning; instead, they grew up with the seed. In life, we’re pretty good about recognizing big things that would be a potential problem for us…but we’re not so good at recognizing the potential for little things to divert our resources away from what’s most important to us.
If we do not intentionally seek God’s perspective, then the worries, riches, and pleasures of life will insidiously grow up and take over, choking out the fruitful, mature life God has for us.
The author of Hebrews also recognized this possible dilemma for us. Thankfully, though, he offered the solution to staying out of the thorns:
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore…let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.
Keep Pressing,
Ken