Have you ever heard the saying, "If you lay down with dogs, you'll most likely get up with fleas"? How about "It is hard to fly with eagles if you surround yourself with turkeys."? Well, as we turn our attention to the third type of ground in the parable of the "Sower and the Seed" from Matthew 13, the seed is impacted more by the "bad seed" planted in the ground than the ground itself. In other words, regardless of the ground you find yourself planted in, who you choose to align yourself with will have a tremendous impact on the life you live and the choices you make.
"Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." Matthew 13:7. In this third installation of our study of the four types of ground, it really doesn't matter about the quality of the seed, or the fertility of the soil, the fact that the "good" seed tucked in with the thorns which choked the good out of the young, tender plants. For me, the analogies above give a good description of what Jesus's parable was demonstrating. Basically, when you make the decision to serve God, you also have to decide who you are going to serve on a daily basis. I'm not saying you have to separate yourself from family or friends that you do life with each day, but I am saying you have to be strong in your faith and have a deep relationship with God, or you run the chance of falling into the "turkey's nest" of life.
For our third type of ground, the fact that thorns and fruit producing seeds can thrive in the same soil, drives home the point that as those who choose to serve God live their day to day life, it isn't a matter of disassociating oneself from the world, but instead nourishing your life with positive relationships and life building nutrients. Going to church in and of itself won't assure us that we will make it to Heaven one day, but if given the option of spending your days in a bar or in a small group studying the Word of God, the odds are the time spent reading, sharing, and learning more about the God we serve with fellow believers will produce a bountiful harvest one day. Not to say we need to separate ourselves from anyone, yet as we walk closer with God, we then are better equipped to help those that need our support. In Luke 5:31-32 Jesus tells His disciples, "... It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." We are called to be a witness to the world, we just have to be well grounded in our relationship with God so that the world doesn't choke out the "good" that God has planted in our hearts.
The thorns of this life are real. Addictions, deceit, greed, lust, and pride are just a few examples of the seeds that can sprout up in our families, our marriages, or in the workplace and begin to choke out the good that God has planted in our hearts. Without the guidance of God's Word, His Holy Spirit, and faithful men and women serving God in our lives, the ground we live on and in can certainly make a difference and eventually choke out the good. Today, make the choice to distance yourself from the thorns attempting to take up residence in your life. The seeds in the parable had no choice where the sower scattered them, thank God, you have a choice. Choose God!
Coach Carter
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