Choked Out

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns 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. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” (Luke 8:11-15 NIV)

In my many years working with college students, I have witnessed the parable of the soils play out countless times.  Students hang around for a week or two, having never been involved with anything Christian and finding it a bit intriguing, and then are gone, concluding this “Christian thing” is not for them.  I’ve also see students be excited about the Lord, but buckle under the pressure of family and friends who believe they have become “holier than thou” and the subsequent ridicule and rejection.  And I’ve seen many students, much to my joy, who have embraced all that the Lord had for them and have gone on to produce much fruit for His Kingdom.

But what I have seen most is students who love the Lord but never really mature spiritually over the four or so years they are on campus. As Jesus describes, worry—about classes, friendships, romantic pursuits, and the future—pursuit of material things, and the pleasures of college life, chokes their potential growth.  They attend large group meetings, participate in small groups, and maybe even go on mission trips, but they remain immature.

Choked is a good word to describe what happens.  When a person gets choked, she is deprived of air.  When plants get choked out, they are deprived of sun and nutrients claimed by other plants.  When a person’s spiritual life gets choked, it is the things of life that deprive them of time, focus, and energy necessary for growth.  

As humans, we are finite and limited beings.  We can only do so much. To be an elite athlete, one has to eliminate enough distractions to allow the time for training.  To become a doctor, one has to make time for study and extensive preparation.  Maturing in so many areas of life requires attention and time.  And for that reason, so many never reach what was possible for them to attain.  

Maturity in any area of life doesn’t happen without sacrifice and intentional focus. If we want to grow, then we must devote the time to doing so.  It won’t just happen.  

Today, if you want to mature spiritually, know you must be intentional in minimizing the distractions in your life that choke out the vital light and nutrients you need to grow. 

© Jim Musser 2016