7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:7-8 CSB)
I have written often regarding the fruit of the Spirit. The parable of the sower really defines how our fruits may or may not grow and produce.
I especially like the end of the parable, as it defines many Christian’s lives.
We should be defined by the latter part of the scripture, desiring the seed we scatter to produce “X” times what was sown. It is the “X” that we should be seeking.
But the bitter reality is that the former part of this scripture is what drags us down the most. Thorns grow up within our faith walk and choke out our good works. We harbor willful sins and allow our lives to run on autopilot, not really striving for more in our walk. The clutter and clamor of our busy lives become the thorns that choke out our fruitfulness.
When our focus should be on the “X” it is upon the thorns. This bears some contemplation.
Thorns must be ripped out and burned. If even a small remnant is left behind they will continue to spring up and choke out the good our life can produce. Thorns do not go away on their own, they require effort to remove effectively.
If we can get the thorns removed, or at least controlled, in our lives and focus on the “X”, then we can get on with the sowing that God has put us here to do.
