“‘And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.'” — Luke 8:14-15 (ESV)
I want my life to make a difference for God’s Kingdom. In our fast-paced culture, I feel daily the distractions from single-hearted devotion to God. In the parable of the seeds, Jesus says that much of what is distracting us are “cares and riches and pleasures of life”. As I listen to what Jesus is saying, I realize that for many of us, if we want to follow Jesus, we may have to choose the path of “less”. That is, we cannot expect to keep up with what our contemporaries are doing, always seeking advancement and activity. Practically speaking, this may mean that we will have to choose for our careers to advance more slowly, as we skip putting in the extra hours to impress the boss. It probably also means that we will have to choose less entertainment and fewer activities.
By creating more spare time and having fewer things to keep track of, we can devote more of our time and attention to the things of God. It means that we may have less income than we might otherwise attain, and it may mean that we don’t do all the things that our neighbors do. We will not only be better focused on things with lasting significance, but by being more single-minded, God can more readily mold us to be more Christ-like, having more peace, joy, love, and clearer insight. We might start being noticed by our neighbors as people to come to for help and advice.
On the other hand, there are those among us who are called to a season of being occupied much or all of our waking hours. I think of mothers with young children being one of the classic examples. I am referring to a phase of life that demands so much of our focus that little is left for God. But if our phase is turning out to be a lifetime, then we may want to see if we can change our circumstances. In one of his letters, the Apostle Paul tells the reader that slaves can certainly follow Jesus, and to be content if you find yourself in that circumstance, though if they can gain their freedom, to do so.
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I look at Jesus’ life, when He was so involved in ministry He barely got any rest. And yet, there were times that he spent the whole night in prayer, and other times when he got up very early in the morning and went off alone to pray. I think His example shines brightly for us, because it says that there are times where we need time with God more than sleep or food. Following God can be costly, and yet making sacrifices to find that time for God can often lead to much greater blessings than the extra food or sleep.
Originally posted on January 10,2011