“And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:” (Matt. 13:7)
Thorns are extremely tough to kill, they grasp the earth firmly, they can withstand all types of weather and they proliferate extensively. Yet they hold little value beyond keeping the soil from eroding. If you will look back at the complete parable the Lord gave us that day, you will notice amongst other things that every seed fell upon dirt in some way, that which is the foundation of growth on this earth, even Adam was formed from it, but not everything that comes from dirt is profitable.
Most of the planet, the people upon it, serve no useful function for the Lord in an eternal sense, save for the expression of His wrath, the rain indeed falls upon the unjust as well as the justified, yet much of that rain only grows more thorns. More people equals more sin, less of the saved means less light in the darkness, the wheat only finds it difficult to grow in the thorns when it has no strength, no serious root structure.
I speak to those of you today who spend much time on social media sites, who watch on a regular basis what is called the mainstream news outlets, those of you who seek the news of the thorns, and I ask you this question, what exactly is it that you are looking for? “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)
I cannot express this point enough, are you a shaft of wheat living in the thorns, are you a saved person who lives in the world? This is not meant to cause you to turn off all those electronic devices and pour over the Word of God continuously, but you must consider these words, while you are on all those internet and television sites, what exactly is it that you are looking for, what is the wheat searching for among the thorns?
Think back here over the last three years or so, for that is where the latest trap was laid by our adversary, have you been searching for the glory of God and how He has been moving mightily upon the face of the planet, in the lives of men, or for the travails of man, for the next news event, the next great diversion? What profit is there for the wheat among the thorns, what possible advantage can the world offer us? “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
Walking through the endless fields of weeds, thorns and thistles, searching for the lost, for our brothers and sisters in Christ who have yet to come to the knowledge of the saving grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that is our task, that is our responsibility, that is our privilege and joy.
What we see in this world is not always what we are to be looking at, yet those enticements, those diversions call to us, to our flesh, but they are of no eternal profit. Do not tarry in the thorns, they will, as our opening verse shows, choke your witness for Christ, look beyond them to the prize, but search for more wheat as you travel through them.