Other seed fell among thorns,
which grew up and choked the plants.
—Mark 4:7
Some respond to the gospel, and some don’t. It has to do with the condition of the soil, not the quality of the seed.
In Jesus’ parable, the soils of the heart are four: hard, shallow, distracted, and fruitful. The first two lack roots and are unproductive. The third produces fruit but is destroyed by thorns that choke it to death. The fourth produces an abundant crop.
It’s the third that most concerns me for my brothers and sisters—and for me. It’s one of Satan’s sneakiest and most successful traps—sidetracking good, but distracted, souls.
Jesus enumerates the distracting thorns:
- Worries about the concerns of this life.
- The deceitfulness and lure of wealth.
- Desires for other things.
Jesus’ parable wasn’t intended to entertain us but alert us: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” (Mk 4:9).
Distraction can be disastrous.