Ask any farmer, botanist, or avid gardener about weeds and the response is generally a negative one. Weeds can turn productive land into unusable scrub. Weeds can also be poisonous, distasteful, produce burrs, thorns and interfere with the use of desirable plants by contaminating harvests. Weeds thrive at the expense of the desired crop by providing competition for space, nutrients, water, and light. In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells a parable to explain the kingdom of heaven. In this parable, a man sows good seed in his field, but while he was asleep the enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. The servants ask if they should remove the weeds and the man tells them no. If they remove the weeds, they may uproot some of the wheat with them. He encourages them to let them grow together until the harvest where the wheat will be gathered to his barn and the weeds will be gathered and burnt.
Later in verses 36 - 43, Jesus explained the parable: Jesus is the sower of the good seed; the field is the world; the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed the weeds is the Devil. So the question is, if weeds are so destructive, why are they allowed to live among the wheat? Or the age old question, why does God allow evil? The interesting thing is that some crops are better able to tolerate competition and suppress weeds than others. One of the most competitive? You guessed it: Wheat! So, again, why does God allow evil? He allows the weeds to exist with the wheat so that the wheat can grow to its full potential. All the while he is using the weeds for His Glory and the wheat's sanctification. So, I can complain about the weeds in my life or give praise to God for them knowing he is allowing them to help me grow to my full potential. The truth is, I complain about the weeds in my life more than I give praise to God for them. John Piper tweeted this from J.I. Packer today, "Christ's Cross+Romans 8:28+God's sovereignty = "Every single thing that happens to us expresses God's love for us." Lord help me to see this every moment of every day.
Blessings,
D.O.
