Nipped In The Bud

Nipped in the Bud

Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

Matthew 13:7

Spring is a time of planting. Seed goes into the ground and new plants sprout up, but as quickly as the crops begin to grow, thorns come up with them.

According to Matthew 13:22, “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.”

Like anyone else, the Amish have times when worries of this life attempt to choke out their faith. This is addressed in Rules of a Godly Life, which is a popular Amish devotional book. It was written in the eighteenth century by a non-Amish author and consists of forty-seven proverbs.

Proverb 11 reads in part, “Never consider any sin as small or of no account, because every sin, though it seem ever so small, is a transgression against God.”

Of course it’s easy to mislabel our thorns and thistles. We worry and then claim we are “concerned.” We are drawn to things we do not need and have the excuse that when we gain more, we will use it to “bless others.” Yet the greatest sin is that these things not only occupy our time but also become idols in our lives, replacing God in the center of our hearts.

A quote I recently read by Tiffany Berry says, “If you’re going to worry, there’s no need to pray, and if you’re going to pray, there’s no need to worry.”

Like weeds and thistles, “small” sins can grow and choke out God’s lordship in our lives. Worry is a sin. It takes our focus off God and places it on the little things. Like weeding a spiritual garden, the best thing to do is nip these sins in the bud.

Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I’ve let sins linger and grow. Sometimes I ignore the “little sins,” forgetting how they take root. Point them out to me, Lord. I want to deal with them now. I want You to be the only Lord of my life.