Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow t
ogether until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Matthew 13: 24-30
This summer has not been the one many of you have longed for. The crops are dry. Our yards are brown. The bears are getting brave as they wander closer to our homes looking for food. You have looked to the sky longing for rain and have received little to none. Blue skies have been illusive as the haze from so many wildfires descends upon us. This month we have also struggled as we have heard of the violent death of a young mother who lived just south of Goodridge. We have prayed for our law enforcement personnel and the continued search for the suspect in her murder. Many of you are nervous and some have voiced concern to me through the question, “What next?”
When we plant seeds in the earth as the passage from Matthew’s Gospel printed above describes, we work to make sure the seed that is sown is good. We long for our efforts to show forth good fruit. Yet as is so often the case, things don’t turn out the way we want them to. Our carefully tended fields can become filled with weeds. Looking at all the brown yards and fields and it doesn’t take long to note the weeds standing tall and dotting the landscape. Weeds thrive in challenging conditions, they hog and hoard the water so needed by the crops.
I am not much of a gardener. Over the years I have learned that I can grow zucchini (basically a weed) and tomatoes. This year I decided to use box planters to contain my little garden. I don’t like to weed and thought the planters would make it a little easier to contain them. It didn’t turn out the way I thought. The lawn hasn’t been mowed for about a month, it hasn’t needed it. The result of this is that in front of my planters is a nice bed of weeds where last year’s garden used to be.
It is important to note that I was away for about ten days in the middle of July. When I got home the weeds were really tall. I could have grabbed the lawn mower and taken care of them. I still could. Yet as I looked at the them, I noticed something that gave me pause. I have three rouge tomato plants growing in the middle of all those weeds. They are coming up from seeds that fell from last year’s garden. The plants are flowering now and I wonder if they are the cherry tomatoes my daughter loves to eat or the Romas I do. I am excited to wait and see.
When Jesus told the story of the weeds among the wheat, he was reminding us that in the midst of the most challenging times, when it seems like the enemy is winning, God is still in charge. It’s not our responsibility to pluck up every weed, instead, we are called to live with the challenges of this day trusting in the end, God will bless us with a good harvest.
I understand how challenging this season has been. There are weeds and struggles that we can see and some that are secret that we hope remain hidden. My little tomato plants reminds me that God continues still to bless us in new and surprising ways. Day by day we hope. Day by day we pray. Day by day we walk in faith until God gathers us together in the everlasting kingdom. Thanks be to God!
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