Thursday, Nov. 21

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He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,  but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.  And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’  But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”  - Matthew 13:24-30

There is a particular place in my back yard where large prickly weeds perpetually grow.  I am convinced that this spot is is the breeding ground for these weeds in my neighborhood.  I have sprayed weed killer, used Preen (which I am convinced doesn’t work), covered the ground with a fabric and mulch, but nothing seems to stop them.  The only thing that works is to dig them out by the root, and the earlier the better, because they seem to multiply quickly.

I have always wondered why the Master in this parable (Jesus) tells his servants NOT to pull out the weeds but to let them keep growing.  How is it a good idea to let weeds grow in your field?  Why not tell the servants to get rid of the weeds immediately?  I mean, they are weeds after all and who wants weeds?  

I think there has been a consistent and unfortunate tendency among Christians throughout church history to become preoccupied with identifying and “pulling weeds”.  We want to know who is in and who is out when it comes to the Kingdom of God.  We like to label people, to put them in categories.  It makes us feel comfortable and secure to feel like we know who is who in the Kingdom and in the world.  

The problem is that Jesus specifically tells us not to do this!  Why not?  Why does Jesus tell his servants to “let them both grow together”?  Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of those who don’t belong and those who might corrupt the true believers?  

Jesus gives us His answer when He says; “lest in gathering the weeds, you root up the wheat along with them.”  Apparently Jesus is more concerned with growing good wheat than He is with pulling weeds!

Okay, I guess it makes sense that Jesus does not want us to damage or harm the children of the Kingdom in our efforts to “uproot” the children of the enemy.  But I think there is a deeper reason for the patience of the master in this parable.  

The Apostle Peter (who was there when Jesus told & explained this parable) puts it like this...The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  - 2 Peter 3:9

You see, in the Kingdom of God, weeds can be transformed into wheat!  It doesn’t work that in way in my backyard or in a farmer’s field, but in God’s Kingdom, poisonous weeds can be changed into beautiful wheat!  Spiritually speaking, we were all “bad seeds”, we were all weeds until Christ redeemed us!  Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul...

 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.   - Ephesians 2:1-5

So, dear friends, let’s not waste time trying to pull weeds in God’s Kingdom, instead, let’s get busy growing good wheat - in our own hearts and in the lives of others!

Jeff Frazier