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| Sometimes the weeds are so obvious! |
Lectionary Reading: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NRSV)
The parable of the weeds and the wheat causes us to stumble sometimes. We want a clean field. We don't want weeds taking any precious moisture needed by the growing wheat. If things are orderly in the field, the rest of our universe becomes more orderly. It is easier to deal with.
Yet, Jesus tells us to leave the weeds alone.
Don't bother them.
Well, why not? We can easily identify them at an early stage - when they are easy to root out!
Jesus says to leave them. We might uproot the wheat in our zeal to take out the weeds.
I think what it really means is that when we find an eye for the weeds in life, we may become more interested in pulling weeds than in nurturing wheat. And the more we look for weeds, the more weeds we seem to see.
Is that wheat or a weed? It could be wheat. Hmm. Better not take a chance. Pull it up.
Of course, Jesus is talking about people. We don't really know the hearts and minds of people. We don't know what God thinks about them. But we think we do. We're just helping God out a little. God, we'll pull these weeds now and you won't have to worry about them later. Oh, don't bother thanking us, we're glad to do it!
This also assumes that people are fixed - that they can never change. Once they head down the wrong path, they are lost forever. This kind of thinking would take out most of the disciples of Jesus!
How can we apply this parable of Jesus to our lives together today? I'm sure you've never written anyone off as hopeless, have you? No, of course I haven't either. Maybe if we nurture a weed, it will begin to look like the wheat. Of course, that's foolish thinking. Weeds can't become wheat. That would take a miracle.
Hmm.
Join us as we continue to explore this parable in worship on Sunday!
In Christ,
Sam
Photo by alh1 via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.
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