Dealing with the Weeds

(Originally posted February 13, 2010)

Ooooh, I really hate it when someone gets the better of me!

And when they do, whether I say it out loud or not, I automatically want retribution. This is one of those instances where the things I teach my children have to be pointed back at me. And, once I cool off, deep down I know that it isn't God's way, but sometimes I can't see past my own sense of personal justice.

Jesus says (Matthew 13:24-30) that God's Kingdom is like a field where a man planted a good crop. One day his servants came in to report that, along with his healthy crop of wheat, there are tons of weeds growing up . How did this happen?

Who could have done this? The owner of the field simply replies, “An enemy has done this.”

In our own lives we often ask, “Why are all these weeds trying to choke my good fruit?”

The answer is the same: “An enemy has done this.” (more on this in v. 39)

Of course, this landowner in the parable has faithful servants who are on the job to fix the problem. They dutifully ask if they should go weed out the weeds, annihilate them!

But their master says, “no.”

Why? Because he doesn't want to harm the wheat while pulling up the weeds. He says the weeds will be dealt with at the proper time by his reapers, but for now they should grow and live together in order to insure the safety of the fruit of his precious crop.

The term “collateral damage” comes to mind. It always happens in the midst of war. One group of people thinks they need to weed out the weeds from another group of people, and in the process, good stalks of wheat suffer for it. Many of those are Christian brothers and sisters whose only crime is that they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. The weeds may be the target, but often the whole field is destroyed in the process. And precious fruit of the Kingdom is lost.

On a more personal scale, this may relate to how I myself behave when I've been wronged. What effect will my weeding out of a grievance (shouting at the person who just cut me off, giving a bad look to a referee at my kid's game, laughing about my enemy's well-earned misfortune) have on those around me? Could I be doing some serious damage to those watching me, especially those who are young or new to the faith?

Whether the retribution is actually justified or not may be up for debate, but my response must be to allow room for God's plan to work. As my daughter says, I need to “chillax” and put it in His hands.

Jesus promised that we would suffer, be wronged, be misunderstood if we truly try to model our lives according to His Way. It's just not easy. And sometimes His way is to wait, continue to grow as student followers, and allow God to deal with the weeds.

Peace.