“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.’” Matthew 13:24-28
“And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” Mark 4:18-20
“I went past the field of a sluggard,
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 24:30-34
“Land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.” Hebrews 6:7-8
Jesus dealt with practical experiences and images to teach life lessons. Even in the loveliest and most prolific gardens there were weeds that poked ugly heads, whose roots entangled and sometimes smothered what was good. Tend to rich soil and all that grows, and saturate yourselves with living water. Beware, He warned, of these foreign pests, and be vigilant to keep sowing good seed, and bear good fruit.
The world casts so many weeds our way! Ugly thoughts here, risky dalliances there, pesky distractions everywhere. It seems the weeds of strange affection, jealousy, fear, gossip, and unholy desire are scattered ubiquitously, and grow so much faster and prove more untenable than do wholesome, fruitful passions. What are we to do? How do we stay pure in a culture infested with weed seeds?
We need take stock in the condition of our soil, and stay soft and receptive to the teachings of God’s word. We need steadily drink in His rain. By deliberate act of the will, we can confess our allowance and entertainment of known sin, and rid of it to make room for steady obedience. The more we pack our garden of time and energy with good deeds and fruit-bearing, the less space there will be for weeds to grow.
What are we doing to help truths take hold? Where do we need particular repentance and accountability? With whom can we press on in love and good deeds, yielding useful crop? (Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 1:21-22)
Lord, please soak me with Your living word to extricate every weed and nourish only what bears fruit and loveliness for Thee.
As the rain and snow 