Among The Thorns

Jesus always talked in parables as he preaches to his disciples and others, then Jesus said to them. “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand the word? Some people are like seed along the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes the word that was sown in them. Others like seed sown in rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, 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. 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.” Mark 4:13-20

The third kind of soil was overgrown with thorns. This Palestinian farmer was lazy. He cut down the thorn bushes, so the land looked clean and the thorns seemed to be destroyed, but the roots were still there. As time passed, the thorn bushes grew back to their former abundance. The weeds grew so quickly and zealously that they choked the life out of the seed. It is easy to cram life with so many interests that there is no time for Christ. The more complicated our life becomes, the more necessary it is to get our priorities right.
Finally, there is the seed that is sown in “good soil” so that it can thrive. If we really want to learn from this parable, there are a few things we must do. We must hear, and we can’t hear unless we listen. We are often so busy talking and arguing that we forget to listen. It is necessary that we receive the message, it must be absorbed by our thoughts. Then we must put into action. The harvest was thirty, sixty, and even hundredfold. It was asking a lot, but the volcanic soil in Galilee was very fertile. Christian faith must always culminate in action. The Christian is challenged, not to speculate, but to act. Sow the seed and leave the rest to God. Then you are sure of the harvest.

Grace and Peace to You My Friends