"Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them...this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth, choke the word, and it yields nothing"
— Matthew 13:7, 22
The Explanation (Matthew 13:18–23)
"Hear, then, the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom
and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown
in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky
ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet
such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution
arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was
sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and
the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
Amanda says
"But as I look at my own garden—and as I look at your lives—I see a different kind of
thorn. For most of us, the thorns aren't "bad" things. They are necessary things.
● The thorn of the school schedule.
● The thorn of the unpaid bill.
● The thorn of the aging parent who needs your help.
● The thorn of the "side hustle" you took on because the grocery prices went up
again.
These aren't sins. They are demands. But the result is the same: they "choke" the
word. Not because the word is weak, but because your time and energy and attention
are limited resources. When every ounce of your "soil" is being used to survive the day,
there is nothing left for the seed to grow. But here’s the thing. For a many people, the
"thorns" are often just responsibilities that they cannot change. For the single parent,
the full-time caregiver, or someone who is trying to get through the day with a chronic
illness, the normal daily responsibilities can use up all of the time and energy that we
have. They "choke" the word because there is literally no oxygen left in the
schedule.
The "Deceitfulness of Riches" (The Hustle Culture)
In 2026, the "deceitfulness of riches" often looks like the Hustle. The lie that "if I just
work a little harder, if I just optimize my schedule a little more, I will finally be
safe/happy/rested." The Hustle is a thorn that promises life but delivers exhaustion. Sometimes, we can't pull the thorns. But we can prune them. Pruning is the act of cutting back a plant so that sunlight can reach the center. Spiritual growth doesn't happen because you worked harder; it happens because you cleared a space. You just need a chance to take a break and rest.
When you take that breath, you are telling the thorns: "You might steal away my time,
but you cannot have my soul. My soul belongs to the Rest.""
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