Luke 8:14

‘And that which fell among the thorns, these are they who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.'

And those that fell among thorns were like people who heard the word of God, but cares and riches and the pleasures of life choked the word, and it did not properly mature. How easily this occurs to Christians and non-Christians alike in different ways. Many a Christian has been on the verge of real blessing, only to lose it because something came along at the crucial time and took over their interest and disturbed their dedication. The dangers of seeking wealth are especially made clear elsewhere (Luke 6:24; Luke 12:16; Luke 14:12; Luke 16:1; Luke 16:19; Luke 16:21; Luke 18:23; Luke 18:25; Luke 19:2; Luke 21:1). It can at first seem so innocent. We all have to live. But it gradually destroys the soul and takes over the life. The ‘pleasures of this life' simply waste a life which could have achieved such good. They are the opposite of ‘let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works' (Matthew 5:16). All have to decide whether they will live for the moment, or live in the light of eternity. ‘Cares' can either drive us to God and disappear because we trust Him, or possess our hearts and destroy us. It depends on the direction in which we look, and whether we truly trust God (see Matthew 6:25).