Removing the thorns that choke the word

Who is removing the thorns and clearing the rocks from the rocky places?

Usually when I read or hear the parable of the sower in Mark 4, in my heart I usually say “God, help me be the good soil” and I never used to stop and wonder “hmm what about the guy whose heart is rocky places? What about the person who hears the word and its immediately stolen from?”

So as I’ve been seeking to be a true disciple of Christ I find God nudging my heart & I feel my spirit crying out saying: “I want to be the person who will fight for the truth to stay in their lives, I want to help remove the rocks and the thorns so that hopefully next time the sower sows the word his heart will receive it and if not, I want to continue labouring for the truth in his life.”

Without realising it, It feels to me that when I see a friend going the wrong way, subconsciously I’m saying “aw shame, he must be the rocky path (i.e. no root in him) or have thorns (i.e. too many cares of the world)” and I move on with my life.  And so I feel the challenge from God when He says “go and make disciples of all nations” to care enough to do something purely because of Christ. And, it’s not a thing to now want to literally disciple every person we come across but to hear who God’s sending me to and respond to that – Jesus had many crowds following Him but he only  walked closely with the 12.

This is what makes discipling someone something I don’t take lightly because it’s not about telling people what to do or teaching them to be holy. It’s about opening our lives to people & showing them God & more especially God working in us so that their hearts can come alive to God – i.e. it’s imparting not giving suggestions (can’t give what I don’t have). It compels us to want to trust God to live lives that are full of His presence so that we do have something to give. It’s walking with someone through their challenges being patient to see God move in their lives while at the time encouraging them to step out in faith – i.e. application & not only bible knowledge.

Discipleship is not a course or a class, it’s caring enough in Christ for someone that we are moved into action for their sake…. and so help us God.