Thorns, Nettles and a Broken Down Wall
Bro Whitney Belbin

Proverbs 24:30
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;"

Proverbs 24:31
"And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down."

Proverbs 24:32
"Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction."

These are three of my favorite verses. They are so simple, yet have so much meaning. What I would like to look at tonight is threefold each followed by a short application. Lets look at the field itself, the thorns and nettles, and then the wall.

I can't lie claim to know all there is to farming, being from the city in Massachusetts, but I really enjoy being in the country. I recently returned from Pennsylvania from a revival meeting at a country church. As we were driving to the revival there were nothing but fields and farms as far as the eye could see. Beautiful well maintained cornfields with perfectly straight rows of corn.

The families who owned these fields were definitely not slothful. They had a definite understanding on how to maintain their land. I don't suspect this knowledge was gained over night but rather over time, perhaps even from generation to generation. I am sure much labor was employed in the maintenance of these farms and fields. Much sweat and hard work, breaking up of the ground, removing rocks and roots, and tilling, as well as planting.

So it is with the Christian life. The Christian life takes work. You don't, after accepting Christ, come to the perfect understanding of all things. You don't all of a sudden have your life in perfect order. Or as in the illustration above, the rows straight like the corn in field. It takes work and understanding.

It takes knowledge and wisdom to know what to remove, how to till and where to plant. Thank God that His wisdom is made available to us.

James 1:5 says "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Ask God through prayer, study His word and he will reveal his perfect wisdom to you.

We in this room are all at different levels of understanding but all that have accepted Christ are called to the work. Each in different ways perhaps but called to the work nonetheless. If we look over at the book of 1 Corinthians 3:6 7 we see an example as spoken by Paul:

1 Corinthians 3:6
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:7
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

We each have the ability to plant; we each can share what God had done for us in the field that we have been placed. It is not what we have done or say as stated in the above verses but rather what God does with what we say. The Lord promised in Isaiah 55:11 that his word would not come back void. Praise God

If we look at the field in the in our verses it is all grown over with thorns and nettles. I don't think that any one would plant a field or a vineyard with the idea of growing either thorns or nettles. I no doubt believe that at one time the owners set out to grow only the finest grapes or to have the most beautiful field. Why else would one bother having it?

Could it be that after finding out just how much labor was actually involved the one person just refused to labor further? Could it be that the other just didn't bother to gain knowledge or instruction on how to grow the finest grapes? In both cases I believe that is exactly what is being said.

Notice these fields don't just have a few thorns or a few nettles. They are overgrown, long neglected. These men started a work, no doubt with fine intentions. But intentions alone will not complete the task. Intentions will not Break up the ground, nor remove the stone, neither plow nor plant, it takes work, it takes understanding.

Perhaps some here tonight have a walk with God that could be likened to that field or vineyard. Long neglected, grown over with thorns and nettles. Well maybe the reason can be found if we look over at a couple of other verses in the book of Proverbs:

Proverbs 15:19
The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Proverbs 22:5
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

Have you become slothful (lazy)? Have you become froward (stubbornly contrary and disobedient)? Has the cares and pleasures of this world become snares and choked out the love you once had for the service of our Lord? I pray if that be the case you would once again turn to your first love, ask for forgiveness and continue the work.

Lastly let's now take a look at the stone wall. The verse states "and the stone wall thereof was broken down". Walls around a field not only mark boundaries but also keep out those not welcomed as well as keep in those that are prone to wander.

These men not only neglected their fields they also let their protection down; they left their boundaries open for any man or wild thing to enter. Has your boundaries shifted? Are you allowing those things that when you first knew the Lord you would not allow? Are you starting to wander away from the protection that your heavenly Father provides?

If this be the case stop and consider what is outside the wall.

What are you wandering to?

As for me there is nothing out there that I would like to go back to. How about you?

Proverbs 24:30
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

Proverbs 24:31
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

Proverbs 24:32
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

If you are not sure of your salvation, or have never heard of or accepted the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and would like to know for sure that your sins can be forgiven please read "Gods Simple Plan Of Salvation" through the link on the home page or e-mail me. I would be glad to help.