Wheat and Weeds

A man sows wheat in his field.  But an enemy sows weeds in that same field.  When the wheat sprouts, umpteen weeds also pop up. The servants want to pull out the weeds  But the landowner says: “Don’t do that. You’ll also pull out the wheat.  Wait until harvest. Then we’ll separate the wheat from the weeds.” (Mt.13:24-30)

At harvest, the wheat was stored in barns and the weeds tied in bundles for burning. 

It’s a parable about the mix of people in God’s Kingdom.  The wheat is the group of committed disciples.  The weeds are the rascals who persistently sin.     

Are you the wheat or the weeds?

I’m both.  I want to be kind, but sometimes I’m selfish.  I want to be honest, but sometimes I fib. I want to pray well but then I fall asleep.  What will happen to me?

Here’s my hope.  The grain is in the barn.  And the weeds tied up in bundles for burning.  Both of them had a purpose.  The grain was a source of food.  And the weeds provided fuel for the ovens and kindling for camp fires on chilly nights.

The bottom line is: Our merciful God loves the whole package that we are.  That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time.

                                                      Sowers of Seeds

“A sower went out to sow some seeds…” (Mt 13:3b) So starts a section of parables in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus was a genius at telling these stories which made various points and which often had twists or surprises that captivated His audience.

The ‘Sower’ parable is among the most famous.  The usual interpretation is that God sows seeds on the hard, rocky, thorny or good soil in our hearts. In spite of everything, there is a 30, 60, or 100 fold return.  (Such a return was a twist because farmers of Jesus’ day were used to a ‘good’ return of only 4 or 5 fold.)  So the crowd was entertained, but they were also left thinking and talking about what Jesus meant.   

But this parable can also be about us as sowers. Don’t parents and grandparents try to sow good seeds in their children and grandchildren?  Name a few seeds you’ve tried to sow.  Can you see how some of them are bearing fruit?

Think about people who sowed particular seeds in you when you were young. Who sowed which seeds in you that are producing a good harvest now? 

What kind of seeds will you sow this week?

                                                                 The Bathroom Mirror

If you tend to see what’s negative about yourself before you see what’s positive, you might like to make a copy of the following reminder.  It will help you see yourself the way that God sees you.  I have a copy of this in my bathroom, where I see it every morning. 

                                                             Creator God,

                                          Thank you for making me in your image.

                                                              Merciful God,

                                   Thank you for loving the whole package that I am.

How do you take after God?  When others see you and know you, how do they know that you are God’s child?