Where am I really?
I can relate to this soil in the parable. I'm a Christian, so Satan didn't pluck the word out of my heart before I could accept it. I've kept on the path for 34 years now, so it's safe to say that I've good roots into the Christian faith. But the thorny soil is a different matter.
What's the problem in the thorny soil, and why is it unfruitful? Christ outlines 3 key issues:
1. The cares of the world
2. The deceitfulness of riches
3. The desire for other things
My job has a lot of responsibilities and I can work as long and as hard as I want to, and still have things to do! Then there's responsibilities at home, to my wife and family, and so forth. Devotional time often takes a back seat. Oh I get some Bible reading in, and some salutatory prayers, but not at the level of spiritually that myself or the world around me needs.
Are riches a bad thing? Not in and of themselves. But Christ says that they can be deceitful. It makes me think of the question posed to a multimillionaire about how much wealth was enough. The story goes that he gave a knowing smile an said, "A little bit more." While it's easy to be critical of the wealthy and accuse them of being greedy the same siren song of "just a little bit more," lures me into the trap as well.
So what's my first and foremost desire? Is it Christ and whatever he has for me? Or is it "other things"? There's the central question to ponder. If it's not following Jesus I'm going to end up being choked to death. If it is Christ, then all things should work out.
Created about 2 years ago
