By Todd Barrier  

So far, we have looked at the wayside soil and the rocky road soil in our article series about the “Parable of the Sower.” Today we look at what I call the “UFC soil.”  

In the Ultimate Fighting Championship, choking out an opponent is the ultimate way to win. In a spiritual battle, Satan would like to choke us out as well. The next soil Jesus describes shows us how that can happen.  

In Matthew 13:7 He says, “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.” 

In verse 22 Jesus explains what this means: “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” 

As we look at the thorns, we see how they represent distractions that are destructive forces in our lives. 

Many of us hear the word and begin to put it into practice; however, we have not cleared our minds and hearts of all of the worldliness that separates us from God. As Jesus describes it, the cares of this world are still our motivation, and our desire for these material things choke out what we’ve heard from God, and we become unfruitful.  

Much like in a UFC match, we lose the battle when the world puts us in a chokehold and God’s Word doesn’t take root.  

What kind of soil are you preparing for Him?  

Next week we finish up with the “good soil.”