Tending to the Seeds Among the Weeds

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds

Matthew 13:24-30

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.  Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

As a mom, I wanted to take a moment to understand this passage. After reading and rewriting this passage, I’m started to understand for the first time that we are expected to live among the weeds.

This make me think about how Christians go crazy with fighting to have certain laws not passed or politicians from being voted into office.

We’ve been encouraged to believe we are not of this world, but are to reside inside the world. We are only here temporarily. For what purpose, I would say is to bring others with us for when we go home.

We’re not here to change, take over or pull weeds.

Countries have tried going into other countries to take over. That certainly has never been received well or without resistance.

Wars have been fought and lost over foreigners coming in and trying to change things up.

Jesus has told us he wants us to live among the weeds. He is the farmer. He bought the land. He planted the seeds. He employs his workers and harvesters, but sometime during the night, the enemy has come in and scattered weeds.

The farmer has sacrificed his land. But when the time is right he will call his harvesters to gather his wheat among the weeds and store them with him.

He says if the weeds were to be pulled, you run the risk of uprooting his wheat too.

How many times have you heard someone say they don’t go to church because of how Christians behave? Their roots have been uprooted. The farmer has a much harder time replanting them after they’ve been damaged and a lot of the times they never recover.

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained

Matthew 13:36-43

Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.  And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

I have come to realized I need to stop beating myself up over all the weeds that have crept into my kids lives; bad influences, attitudes, and peer pressure.

In fact, I need to start accepting that they are there. God never expected me to raise them in a weed-free environment. I didn’t put the weeds there. I didn’t just let them pop up. He doesn’t blame me for them. And he doesn’t expect me to run around pulling up all the weeds that have started to sprout.

Unfortunately they are to grow up with them. But he knows that. I will continue to attend to them, his good seeds among the weeds. I will give them what I can, and address the farmer if they are in need of something more.

He will protect them and one day he will remove all that causes sin and all who do evil from their lives. And one day we shall all shine like the sun in our Father’s Kingdom.