Weeds Among the Wheat

"Where then did the weeds come from? ” Matthew 13:27

I spent several days last week helping a friend pull weeds on his farm. So far 17 loads like this one have been removed from the property and there is yet more to be done. Each one had to be pulled by hand or dug out with a shovel so it was very hard work.

While helping with this project I was reminded of the parable Jesus told about weeds growing in a wheat field. The parable is recorded in Matthew 13 if you would like to read it for yourself. 

The farmer planted good seed but when the wheat spouted and grew, weeds also sprouted alongside the good plants. The farmer determined it was better to allow the weeds to grow along with the wheat and at harvest time he would separate the good seed for use and the weed seed for destruction. 

Jesus followers live in communities among people who have no interest in or no knowledge of what Jesus has already done for them at the cross. In the parable it was best to leave the weeds to grow and later be separated from the good seed. 

In the parable God is the farmer who will make the final determination about which are the good seeds and which are the weed seeds to be destroyed. The main point of the parable is that God alone makes the determination about the final destination for all the seeds at harvest time.  

People matter to God and true disciple-makers love the "weeds" and take up their commission to reach the "weeds" with the good news of the Gospel and help them to become good and useful seeds.