On Thorns

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entereth in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Mark 4:19

When the word is sown in a thorn-filled heart, there is no fruit. I was reading Mark 4 this morning, and once again my heart was exhorted.

There are many cares in and of this world available to distract our hearts. I don’t think that the depth of any one care is as common as the abundance of them. A first century Christian led a comparatively simple life and didn’t really know what was going on in the world at large. His world was “small,” but the cares were “deeper.” His livelihood made it possible to live and without it the survival of his family was doubtful. Government had not developed welfare systems for the needy and was certainly not friendly to Christians. Life was harder.

At the same time it was simpler with none of our modern amenities. Our cares are not as deeply felt but they are innumerable. We know more people and have more relational concerns. We have more things and have more material concerns. We have more books, newspapers and blogs and have more knowledge concerns. You see how their cares were smaller but deeper, and our are larger in number but more receive shallower attention.

Whether first or twenty-first century, the cares of this world still choke out the word. Lord help us to not be distracted or distressed so that the word is unfruitful.

-C.R.