When he said this, he called out, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’
His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”’
‘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 8:4-15 NIV)
I see this parable played out daily on the college campus. At the beginning of the school year, in particular, there will be students who are not believers that attend some of our events. They’re either invited by other students or who just happen by and are curious about what is going on. There interest leads them a bit further in, but then, suddenly, they’re gone, not to be seen again. Fear and doubt overwhelmed their curiosity.
There are also other students who seem determined to get onto a better path in life. They declare they’re going to make better choices and give up the sins in which they are entangled. Soon, however, their courage and determination fail in face of the temptations that have tripped them up before. Instead of forging a new path, they instead return to the well-worn one.
The most common is the third part of Jesus’ parable. Students at the beginning of the year often say they really want to grow in the Lord and get involved in our ministry. Within a few weeks, however, the demands of classes, the worries about relationships, and the many distractions that come with college life overwhelm their desire for spiritual growth. There enthusiasm wanes and the excuses grow.
While these examples are from a college campus, they are a composite of life regardless of one’s adult age or status. The strategy of our enemy is remarkably the same. He wants us to doubt or fear making a decision for Jesus. If we make that decision, then he wants to render it ineffective, either by overwhelming us with temptation or persecution so that we will find it just too difficult to continue following the Lord. Or he will seek to distract us, either by worries or pleasures, anything to remove our focus off the One leading us.
It is an effective strategy that has proven itself down through the ages. And the key is the enemy usually remains out of sight. Like an astute political strategist, he works behind the scenes undetected. He makes it look like things are happening naturally—doubts rising from reason, fears resulting from events, and distractions being “just life.” As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters, the enemy’s greatest weapon against us is getting us to be unaware of his existence or work.
Today, be on your guard against the devil’s schemes. He wants you to doubt, to fear, and to be distracted. He will do whatever he can to ensure your faith does not grow and reproduce. The choice you have is whether or not to let him have his way.
© Jim Musser 2016
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