“The Two Thorns”

Matthew 13:7,22

Thorns. Let’s face it, there not going away. Flowers have them. Vines have them. And I have the luck that if there is a thorn anywhere near where I am walking, I am going to get stuck by it... then I have them. In the next part of the Savior’s parable of the farmer, we tells us that some seed was scattered among the thorns and because of this, they new growth was choked out and ultimately caused the seed that the farmer intended to plant to be unfruitful. Unlike the hidden “rocky places” this is exactly what it sounds like, a foreign plant, already in the ground, grew next to the plant the farmer intended to grow and caused infertility in the crop. Fruit is no more than the reproduction of the very seeds that were planted. So, in a very real sense, the thorns killed the next generation of seeds from being grown. When we read down to verse 22, Jesus tells us exactly what the thorns represent. The “worries of life” and the “deceitfulness of wealth” are the thorns that choke out the life that the message of Jesus (the seed) was growing in our hearts? That makes a lot of sense. I can tell you from experience, two of the biggest struggles that I have seen Christians have as they are in the maturation process is how to healthily deal with worry and money. They always seem to crop up and present challenges that newer, less-mature believers have to work through. We need to be aware of this so we can be on the look out for the thorns help “pull the weeds” to so speak. 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that dealing with worry and having a proper view of money are issues that I have worked (or maybe still am working)  on. Lord, help me to have the right attitude and heart with my faith so I can help others to trust You more. Amen. 

Reflection:

How is your faith in worry? How about your faithfulness in stewardship?