Distractions?
The Parable of the Sower
If Jesus were telling the Parable of the Sower today, I wonder whether He would still describe rocky paths, thorny ground and good soil—or whether He might also mention notifications, endless scrolling and glowing screens.
Today, we live in a world unlike any previous generation. Every day something is sowing seed into our lives. Advertisements, news headlines, algorithms, influencers, schools, workplaces, friends, family and the Church are all planting ideas in our hearts.
Social media itself is neither completely good nor completely bad. Like any tool, it depends on how we use it. It can connect families across continents, spread kindness, raise awareness of injustice, and even share the Gospel. Many people first hear about Jesus through a video, a testimony, or a church livestream online.
But social media also reveals something important about the human heart. It constantly sows seeds. Every post we read plants an idea. Every video influences our thinking. Every comment shapes our emotions. Every image invites comparison. Every headline seeks our attention.
The question is not whether seeds are being sown. They are.
The question is: Which seeds are taking root?
Consider the first soil—the path. The seed never enters because the ground has become hard. In our digital age, it is easy for our hearts to become like that path. We scroll so quickly from one thing to another that nothing stays with us. We read a Bible verse, then seconds later watch a funny video, then read angry comments, then see breaking news, then another advertisement. Everything passes by so fast that we rarely stop to let God's Word sink in.
A distracted heart can become a hardened heart.
Then there is the rocky ground. Here the seed grows quickly but has no roots. Social media often celebrates instant success, instant opinions, and instant reactions. Faith, however, grows differently. Discipleship takes time. Prayer takes patience. Character is formed quietly over years, not through viral moments. A faith built only on emotion may disappear when difficulties come.
Jesus calls us to develop deep roots through worship, Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers.
The third soil contains thorns. Jesus says these represent worries, wealth, and the desires of life that choke the Word. Those words are relevant today.
Social media often encourages us to compare ourselves with carefully edited versions of other people's lives. We begin to wonder why our holidays are not as exciting, our homes not as spectacular, our families not as perfect, or our achievements not as impressive.
Comparison gives birth to anxiety. Anxiety distracts us from gratitude. And gratitude is essential for spiritual growth. The thorns do not kill the plant overnight. They simply crowd it until it cannot bear fruit.
Likewise, our lives may become so crowded with constant noise that we leave little room for God to speak.
Just before Lent last year, I began thinking about what I might give up. I wanted to challenge myself in a way that crisps or biscuits don’t. I decided to delete all the social media applications from my phone for the duration of Lent.
On the first day, I felt surprisingly restless. Without really thinking about it, I kept reaching for my phone, only to remember there was nothing there to check. It made me realise just how deeply that habit had taken root.
By the second day, the restlessness had begun to ease. I found myself paying more attention to the people around me and to what was happening in the real world instead of constantly looking into the virtual one.
By the end of the first week, something had changed. There was a freedom I hadn't expected. I became more present in everyday life, less distracted, and more aware of God's presence in ordinary moments. Instead of instinctively checking my phone, I found myself enjoying conversations, noticing creation, and making space for prayer and reflection.
If we think about the good soil that Jesus describes. Good soil is not perfect soil. It is simply open, receptive and willing to receive the seed.
The great thing about this parable is that soil can change. A hard path can be broken up. Rocky ground can be cleared. Thorns can be removed. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God continually prepares our hearts to receive His Word more deeply.
Perhaps good soil today looks like putting the phone down for a few moments to pray before picking it up in the morning. It may mean reading a Bible verse before reading the news. It could mean asking before posting, "Does this reflect the love of Christ?" It may mean choosing encouragement instead of criticism, truth instead of gossip, and grace instead of outrage.
Every click is a choice. Every share is a witness. Every comment is an opportunity either to build someone up or to tear them down. As followers of Christ, we are called not only to consume content but to cultivate Christlike character.
Perhaps today we recognise some hardness in our hearts. Perhaps we see distractions that have crowded out God's voice. Perhaps we have allowed the endless stream of online opinions to shape us more than the teaching of Jesus.
Or maybe you're sitting there thinking, "Well, this doesn't really apply to me. I don't use social media. I'm not on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, or any of the rest." If that's you, then that's wonderful—but don't let yourself off the hook too quickly.
The discussions around new laws restricting social media for under-16s in 2027 remind us that influence is powerful. Society is beginning to recognise that what fills our minds and shapes our hearts matters. But influence didn't begin with smartphones, and it won't end if they're taken away.
Every one of us is an influencer. We influence our family, our friends and neighbours, our work colleagues, and even strangers through the way we speak, the way we listen, the way we serve, and the way we love.
A kind word can plant hope. A patient response can sow peace. An act of generosity can encourage faith. But equally, harsh words, constant negativity or indifference can leave people discouraged. Every day offers another opportunity to receive God’s grace and allow His word to take root
As we allow God's Word to take deep root in us, removing the stones of pride, the thorns of worry and the hard paths of distraction, our lives become good soil from which a harvest of love, joy, kindness and faithfulness can grow.
The question Jesus places before each of us is not, "What kind of soil was I?" but, "What kind of soil am I becoming?" What is crowding your heart and preventing you from giving God your full attention? What is it that most often draws your focus away from Him?
We cannot always control the circumstances around us, but we can choose to make space for God to work within us.
AMEN