What do you think of the third seed that Jesus talks about in the parable of the 4 seeds and the 4 soils?

[jennifer_bloom]

In this parable there are 4 soils, and 4 groups of seeds, the seeds in the first 3 soils failed to bear fruit because of growing problems with the plant line, while the 4th seed did bear fruit, and some of those 4th soil seeds, bore 30 times more than what was sown, some 60 and some 100 times more.

So Jesus said the reason the third soil that failed to bear plants, was because the plants were choked by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. I came to the conclusion today that this reference was about a tactical disadvantage that the stereotypical average Joe or Jill might face in their lives, where they try to demand how, when, why, where, and what God will do to satisfy their interests, and curtail their adversaries, instead of letting God operate in His own unique and uncontested way instead.

They want to control what God does, instead of letting God control what they do, because they are so anxious about life, that they can only see immediate gains and rewards, or visible signs of compensation, and are not willing to look beyond the visible to imagine or streamline their spiritual and evolving potential that has yet to materialize or is not so obvious in the world.

They are petty with God and with human beings, by demanding immediate compensation for every dime stolen from them, when it might be God's will for them to lose their dimes, and then a year later, inherit the entire country etc... But they won't cooperate with God by absorbing his methodology and solutions for dealing with their adversaries, and instead get flustered and riled up over the minor details that they can immediately see and forget the bigger picture that God has hidden from them as a test of their loyalty and devotion to him.

[tulgablake]

Great question — you’re referring to Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8), where the seed represents God’s word and the soils represent different kinds of human hearts or responses.

The third seed is the one that falls among thorns/weeds. Jesus explains that the seed does grow, but the thorns choke it, preventing it from bearing fruit. He says these thorns represent the cares of life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures/desires of this world.

Here are some thoughts on it:

It’s not rejection, but distraction.
Unlike the first two soils (where the seed never really grows or dies quickly), the third seed actually takes root and starts growing. That means there is genuine interest, maybe even initial faith. But over time, the competing pull of worries, money, success, or pleasures suffocates it. This makes it a more subtle danger — not outright unbelief, but a slow choking of spiritual life.
It warns of divided loyalty.
The thorns represent anything that competes with God for first place in the heart. Jesus often stressed you cannot serve both God and wealth (Matthew 6:24). The image of weeds crowding out the plant is a vivid picture of how easily our lives can get cluttered.
It’s especially relevant today.
Modern life is filled with “thorns” — stress, consumerism, constant busyness, endless distractions. This soil warns that even if we start well, we can become spiritually unfruitful if our priorities aren’t kept in check.
The issue is fruitfulness, not mere growth.
The plant lives, but it doesn’t produce fruit. In biblical terms, “fruit” usually means transformed character (Galatians 5:22–23) and good works. The parable is saying it’s possible to look alive spiritually but have nothing lasting to show because our energy is drained by worldly entanglements.
So the third seed is a sobering reminder that spiritual danger doesn’t just come from opposition or rejection — it comes from distraction, comfort, and misplaced priorities.