Weeds and Seeds

Taken from Matt.13: 24-30 "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... The owner's servants came to him and said..."Where did the weeds come from?'" "'An enemy did this,' he replied."

I've never had a garden before. I can make silk flowers wilt and cactus cry. But leaner times call for courageous creativity and practicality. So I decided...I must garden. It's the right thing to do.

My education came from one conversation last fall with a master gardener who seemed to speak about vegetables using their Latin names. By the time spring rolled around, it was all Greek to me. I tossed the notes.

I channeled my education from YouTube, gardening magazines and an old copy of the Farmer's almanac. I think I'd be doing better if I'd studied "Gardening for Dummies." Nevertheless, there is food outside. Some of it looks happy...some abused. Torrential rains, bugs with big appetites, and lettuce loving slugs are a few of the enemies in my garden. Then there are those wicked weeds.

Why is it that weeds grow better than food? Feast or famine; floods or drought; hot or cold-they thrive. As I was pulling them near my pepper plants yesterday, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Poison ivy popped up everywhere! I shouted out to my husband, "I can't believe it's emerging now after 3 months of constant weeding!" He calmly replied, "Poison roots grow deep."

Poison roots grow deep. He didn't mean to sound that profound, but I did the "loving-wife-admiring-her-husband" smile and listened to those words echo in my mind.  In Jesus' parable, the weeds were sown while everyone was sleeping. Unaware that an enemy was close by. Unaware that harmful seeds were being sown right next to good seeds. Unaware of the long-term intention of damage and destruction of the crop.

In Luke 8 (Matt.13), we know that the "seed" Jesus spoke of is the Word of God. We also read how the "soil" is likened to our heart. We see that our enemy sows "weeds" right next to the seeds in order to harm whatever type of crop is growing for the Lord. We also read that it was done while those who are tending the garden were sleeping. Interesting...

Romans 13:11 "...knowing the time, that now it is high time to wake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." 

Psalm 199:148 "My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word."

1 Cor.15:34 "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God."

Prov. 4:23 NIV"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

These are the days we can't "sleep." There is one goal of our enemy...to harm, damage, or destroy anything that is grown of eternal value for the Lord. He's relentless and will thrive in any condition...if allowed to grow.