Thinking About the Thorns

Luke 8:5-15 records the parable of the sower, in which Jesus described four responses to the word of God using soil as an illustration. One of the soils will immediately reject the word, two others will accept it temporarily, and the last will receive it, keep it, and bear much fruit as they obey it. The two temporary soils, rocky and thorny, fall away for different reasons. Rocky soils fall to temptation, while thorny soils are choked by their life circumstances, whether worrisome or pleasant.

The worries of this life arrive with many of the difficulties faced from time to time: sickness, injury, car accidents, death of a loved one, debts, and other such negative concerns. These kinds of events will quickly suck up your time and attention and cause you to ignore the need for spiritual growth and the benefits of diligent Bible study. For some, life is so difficult that they turn away from the truth and bear no fruit.

For others, life is so pleasant that they see no need for spiritual concerns of any kind. Money is plentiful, houses, cars, and luxury goods are theirs in abundance, and whatever their eye sees, they can possess. Great excitement and joy come from their pursuit of earthly riches, and their focus on the pleasures of this life causes them to ignore the Scriptures. The Bible calls for spiritual growth and warns against finding one's identity in earthly goods (Luke 12:15). It’s easy to see past the riches when you don’t have them, but nearly impossible when you do (James 1:9-10, Luke 18:24-25). Those riches are thorns, and they choke those who hold them closest, causing them to bear no fruit toward God. Rather than being consumed by worries or pleasures of this life, Jesus hopes you will hold the word of God close day by day and bear spiritual fruit as you obey it.