Thistles and Weeds

Luke 8:5-8
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
In verse 14, Jesus continues on to compare the seed to the Word of God. "The seed that fell among the thorns [thistle] stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."

Mumford and Sons wrote a powerful song entitled, "Thistle & Weeds." The lyrics are as followed:

Spare me your judgments and spare me your dreams
Cause recently mine have been tearing my seams
I sit alone in this winter clarity which clouds my mind
Alone in the wind and the rain you left me
It's getting dark, darling, too dark to see
And I'm on my knees, and your faith in shreds, it seems

Corrupted by the simple sniff of riches blown
I know you have felt much more love than you've shown
And I'm on my knees and the water creeps to my chest

But plant your hope with good seeds
Don't cover yourself with thistle and weeds
Rain down, rain down on me
Look over your hills and be still
The sky above us shoots to kill
Rain down, rain down on me

But I will hold on
I will hold on hope

I begged you to hear me, there's more than flesh and bones
Let the dead bury the dead, they will come out in droves
Take the spade from my hands and fill in the holes you've made

The lyrics corrupted by the simple sniff of riches blown are clearly calling out the people who have fallen among the thistle and weeds and are being choked by it. How easy I find it to let riches and worldly pleasures corrupt me. Colossians 3:1-2 says, "If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." To set one’s heart is to literally seek in order to find out by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to inquire into. This is the same word that Jesus used in Matthew 6:33- “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Much of the Christian life is a mental exercise. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, please and perfect will.” It is by the knowledge of God that Christians can be transformed. Earthly things that we tend to set our minds on due to our sinful nature are greed, pride, covetousness and sensual lusts. Contrastingly, we should be setting our minds on abstract concepts, such as: love, justice, holiness, grace, and other attributes of God.

Do all of these things here on earth matter at all? There's more than flesh and bones. One day, everything will be gone and the only thing that will remain will be our spirits.

Also in the song they say, "Let the dead bury the dead, they will come out in droves." Part of that phrase is almost word for word to Matthew 8:22 when Jesus says, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Reading the verses from Luke, and Matthew 18:13-20 I realize where my seeds have been planted. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. I yearn to have my seeds fall on good soil, take root, and MULTIPLY.