In The Long Run

“this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22 (R. T. France translation)

Becomes unfruitful – In the Bible, the race doesn’t go to the swift.  It goes to the diligent.  Abraham stepped out for God – and faltered – but he didn’t give up.  He kept plodding until he reached Moriah.  Then God knew – and so did Abraham.  David started with a bang – and fell.  But he kept going forward until God called him, “a man after my own heart.”  Paul ran the race over dozens of years.  Samuel spent his life chasing God.  So did Ruth.  And Mary.

In the long run.  That’s what being a follower of the Way is all about.  Biblical wickedness takes a long time to unfold.  So does righteousness.  We may be forgiven guilt in a moment of grace, but birthing righteousness takes a long time.

When Yeshua speaks about the poor man or woman who hears the good news but is buried by the world’s concerns and seductions, He doesn’t say that this person is unproductive.  He says that the word sown into this life becomes unfruitful.  The verb (ginomai) is present tense, middle indicative.  That means it is a statement about an action of the subject involving only the subject that is happening now.   The word of God is purposeful.  It is designed to bring about productive change.  But in this case, something happens that prevents this word from fulfilling its intended design.  Right now in this life the word is not doing what it is supposed to do.

This person could be the picture of success.  After all, this person is motivated by the worries of this world and the desire for riches.  That means there will undoubtedly be great effort expended on security and accumulation.  Since these two concerns govern the lives of most men, the world will take note.  Self-reliance will be lauded.  But all of this effort has a huge price.  It chokes the word and without oxygen and nourishment, the word doesn’t produce.  Oh, the word might be there, somewhere, buried among the unused treasures of this life.  The word might be honored occasionally, recognized from time to time, intermittently venerated, but it will not become fruitful for if it did, issues of security and accumulation would have to radically change.  In the long run, everyone will see that there is no fruit.  There is only worry and desire.

No one can measure the value of his life at this moment.  That measure is restricted to the other side of the grave.  But everyone can determine if the word is becoming fruitful or not.  How?  By measuring the temperature of our worry and accumulation energy.  By measuring the amount of oxygen we are giving to God’s productive purpose planted in us.

Topical Index:  becomes unfruitful, ginomai, long run, Matthew 13:22

I continue to make phone calls to readers.  At about 6 or 7 a day, it will take several months so if we haven’t talked yet, be patient.  It is my objective to speak with every one of you.