Watch Out for the Thorns!

Scripture — Mark 4:3–8, 14–20 (NRSV)

“Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on a path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the age and the lure of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

Devotion

In Mark 4, Jesus tells a series of parables that reveal something of the nature of the kingdom of God. The first of these parables is usually called The Parable of the Sower, though it might well be entitled The Parable of the Soils. It does feature a farmer who sows seeds. Yet the focus of the parable is not so much the act of sowing, which seems rather random, as it is on the various soils onto which the seeds are sown. On hard soil, rocky soil, and thorn-covered soil, the seeds fail to flourish. But on the fertile soil, the seeds grow abundantly, producing a lavish harvest. Jesus interprets this parable for his disciples. He explains the meaning of the different types of soils, which represent people who respond in various ways to the good news of the kingdom of God.

I am particularly drawn to the image of the seed falling among thorns. Partly, this reflects my regular encounter with real thorns in my garden. I’m quite sure I am jabbed by thorns at least a dozen times a year, especially rose thorns and orange tree thorns. (Yes, many citrus trees, including those in my yard, do have thorns.) My encounter with rose thorns tends to happen, not when I’m focusing on the roses, but rather when I’m doing something in the vicinity of a rose bush. You’d think I’d have learned to be more careful.

When Jesus talks about thorns, however, he’s not thinking of actual thorns on actual plants. Rather, the thorns to which he refers are “the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things” that choke out the growth of the seed sown by the sower (Mark 4:19). I’m drawn to this image in Jesus’ teaching because it reflects my pastoral experience over many years. In my church in Irvine, for example, I had many members whose growth as Christians was stunted because they were so preoccupied with worries and wealth, to put it bluntly. They spent vast amounts of energy working, far beyond what was needed for a very comfortable life. And they fretted about many things, such as their physical appearance or their children’s future. God often got the leftovers of their energy and attention.

But to be fully honest, the image of the thorn-infested soil captures my attention because it depicts the tendency of my own discipleship. I can easily fill my consciousness with desires and concerns that drain my energy and enthusiasm away from the kingdom of God. Beneath the thorns that threaten the vitality of my faith, there is fertile soil, because I truly wish to grow as a disciple of Jesus. But I must choose to prune back that which saps my strength and time so I can give the Lord my prime turf.

This act of spiritual pruning takes discernment. I have also found that it is best done in community with mature believers. As you think about the thorns that are choking your discipleship, perhaps a wise brother or sister, a pastor, or a spiritual director might be able to help you do some necessary pruning.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13).