By Allen White
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Matthew 13:24-30
When we bought our house four years ago, we inherited a small flowerless flower bed. This little patch had more weeds than mulch and a pathetic shrub in the center. We weren’t winning “Yard of the Month” by a long shot. So, I decided to get rid of it.
I pulled out the shrub. I removed the mulch and lots of rocks. I focused on killing weeds and planting new grass. During the first quarter of the growing season, the new grass was in the lead. Then around halftime, crab grass and other culprits started gaining on the grass. By the end season, it was Weeds 100. Grass 0.
The next year I attempted the same strategy. (What’s the definition of insanity?) Sure enough, I achieved the same result. A beautiful green lawn with a patch of weedy, exposed red clay.
Last year, I tried a new approach. I focused on nurturing the healthy Bermuda nearby. The great thing about Bermuda – it takes over. No weed killer. I just gave the Bermuda a head start on the crab grass. At the end of the season, the score was finally Bermuda 100. Weeds 0. After all, the best weed killer is healthy grass.
Life would be easier if wicked people were removed from this world. Of course, that might eliminate a healthy portion of my readers as well as the writer for that matter. None of us has completely abolished our fleshly nature.
Before we pump up our canister of spiritual
Roundup, we need to keep in mind that separating wheat and weeds is not our job. God is the only one who completely understands the thoughts and motives of each person. He’s the only just judge. We are not qualified and not allowed to judge others (read more here). So, can wheat and weeds meaningfully coexist? The short answer is “no.”
But, here’s where the analogy stops – wheat can only ever be wheat, and weeds can only ever be weeds. In nature, there is no metamorphic process that transforms weeds into wheat. But, in the spiritual world, there is a transformation from departing the kingdom of darkness and entering the kingdom of light.
There are many things in this world that good Christian people would rather not associate with. But, if other Christians hadn’t influenced our weedy lives once upon a time, we would still be, well, in the weeds.
We were not placed on this earth merely to create comfortable lives for ourselves. Jesus said we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). If the world isn’t giving you any trouble, then there’s cause for concern. Why are you fitting in so well?
Today, make a list of the weedy people in your life. This is not your Hit List. This is your Prayer List. Pray for these weedy folks.
Then, take a minute and write a Thank You card to someone who helped you out of the weeds. Don’t send an email. Write a note, address it and stick a stamp on it. (The average person gets something personal in the mail only once every seven weeks!)
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