Feed the Crop, Not the Thorns

Today’s Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

Journal Entry on a passage from today’s reading:

Topic: Fruitfulness

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 12:43-45

From Jesus’ parable of the sower:

³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ He who has ears, let him hear."

(Matt 13:3-9 NIV)

From Jesus’ explanation of the parable:

¹⁸ "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²² The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matt 13:18-23 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

In this parable Jesus gives four scenarios of sewn seeds:

1.                  Some fell on the path

2.                  Some fell on rocky places

3.                  Some fell among thorns

4.                  Some fell on good soil

For this journal entry I want to specifically consider the third scenario. In this scenario the issue is not that the seed did not even sprout (scenario 1), or that it sprouted but soon died (scenario 2), but that it provided little or no fruit because of stunted growth due to “worries of this life” and falling prey to “the deceitfulness of wealth” (v. 22). This scenario is not representative of an unsaved person, but of an ineffective Christian. 

APPLICATION:

To allow oneself to be occupied with fret, or to be overly concerned with money or the things money provides, is to rob oneself of the fullness of life available on this side of heaven. It feeds the thorns rather than the crop.

PRAYER:

Lord, keep me from the thorns. May my trust in You overshadow the concerns of life that serve only to feed the thorns instead of the fruit. Create in me a heart of joy and fulfillment that results in bountiful produce from my life.

For my best and for Your glory through Christ. Amen.  –AP