David Yarbrough
Matthew 13:22 (CSB)
Now the one sown among the thorns—this is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Have you ever been choked before? It is a frightening experience. When we are choked, we tend to panic because choking stops our natural airflow. And without oxygen, a person can only survive for a few minutes, so our typical reflex when physically choked can be extremely violent.
Consider this: have you ever been choked out spiritually? It's an entirely different experience. Here, the choking is subtle. It isn't violent; you don't experience a strong physical struggle for life. But rather, it slithers in quietly and slowly, wrapping around your soul, gently constricting your spirit. And what is the strangling force that wraps itself around your mind? It's the constant stress and worry of worldly matters that Jesus warned you against in Matthew 13:22.
The cares of this world can come in all shapes and forms, even the essential aspects of survival such as food, clothing, and shelter. We can become overly focused on them, and yet Jesus, in Matthew 6:31–32 (CSB), instructs us to change our focus. He says, “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
Jesus isn't telling you to disregard your physical needs. The emphasis here is for you not to let them dominate your thought life. But then, how are you expected to navigate your earthly existence without getting ensnared by worldly cares?
Jesus gives you the answer in Matthew 6:33 (CSB): "But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” This is how Jesus is instructing you to break free from the chokehold of worldly anxiety.
“Seek first” is the instruction Jesus gives you. This is not about you blindly searching for something, like someone groping in the dark. Jesus is commanding you to have an unwavering commitment and focus on Kingdom living. It's about you recognizing the authority of Jesus and the power of His rule over every aspect of your existence. When you genuinely seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, you're allowing your life to be lived in the caring hands of your heavenly Father, as Jesus said in John 10:29 (CSB), “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
In your worldly pursuits, you will always be battling the thorns of the curse, as we see in Genesis 3:17–18 (CSB), “The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you.” These thorns represent the worldly cares that threaten to weave their way all through your heart, soul, and mind if you allow them. But when you position your life under the Kingdom rule of Jesus, he will prune away the thorns and thistles of the world from your life. Your Heavenly Father will support your healthy spiritual limbs so that you may bear fruit. Jesus will protect you from the silent, slithering vines that are trying to wrap around you and suffocate your Kingdom purpose. He will set you free to breathe, grow, and flourish under His watchful eye. When you seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, you will be freed from the spiritual chokehold and experience what it means to have a fruitful, thriving, purpose-filled Kingdom life.
John 15:5 (ESV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.