Craig D. Lounsbrough, a licensed Professional Counsellor in the State of Colorado and ordained by the Evangelical Church Alliance once remarked: “If you see a dandelion as a weed, you’ll spray it. If you see it as a flower, you’ll draw it close, turn it this way and that, and become lost in the colossal burst of slender golden petals that spew sunshine into the darkest of souls. And so, how many things have we sprayed that could have illuminated our souls if we would have let them be more than what we let them be?” Matthew 13:36-39 reminds us: “Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.”
A weed is defined as a plant that is considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it is not wanted. It has a variety and multitudinous amount of different habitats. Weeds are considered by many to be an opportunist invader or possible killer that has the capability of flourishing anywhere there is sufficient space. It has the resourcefulness to reclaim infertile, barren or desolate land. It has been suggested that the primary impetus for its emergence, is in search of light.
Weeds can grow alongside the beautiful flowers of nature that have been specifically planted to adorn any garden or other venue with scents and colours that provide pleasure and enhance the natural beauty of God’s creation. However, they are avaricious in nature and in their efforts for self-survival are known to absorb most of the nutrients in the ground that give life to a plant. This deprives it of necessary sustenance, possibly causing it to wither and die. Genesis 1:29-30 confirms: “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.”
Weeds can appear virtually everywhere, it is common to find them by the roadside, in the cracks of buildings, amid grass or even on beautiful deserted beaches. In fact, anywhere that is considered as a possible source for growth. They spring up at an alarming rate and reproduce quickly. Some need little sustenance to survive. They are usually considered as the enemy of the farmer, gardener or keen botanist.
Conversely, despite these defamatory opinions by many, they can have a positive and productive purpose in life. They may, in certain circumstances, aid the growth of plants and vegetation. They may shield the soil from the harmful effects of the sun and its heat. This aids retention of moisture and reduces dryness. They can provide a habitat for insects and other small creatures. Their roots may stabilize the soil to maintain strength. Their stems may provide sustenance and nourishment for insects. They can produce their own colourful flora to depict a creative and distinctive beauty of their own. Removing weeds amongst crops may cause more harm than good. It could endanger the stability of roots and weaken their structure by the disturbance of the soil around them.
Proverbs 24:30-34 reminds us: “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Wheat is defined as a cereal, considered the most important kind grown in temperate countries, the grain of which can be ground to make flour for bread, pasta, pastry etc. Winifred Emma May, a British poet, best known for her work under the pseudonym: Patience Strong once remarked: “Life is like a field, where we must gather what we grow, weed or wheat... this is the law, we reap the crop we sow.”
Matthew 13:24-30 informs us: He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
The parable of the tares, as it is sometimes known, signifies the dissimilarity between heaven and earth. It becomes an individual option to choose if we wish to represent the goodness of wheat or the iniquitousness of weed. Some weeds could be considered good, others bad, we need to make the appropriate distinctions between them. Weeds can also highlight the harm and injustice, inflicted on the innocent, that may be encountered in life. This can sometimes be borne through jealousy or envy of another who wish to oppress all efforts for growth or productivity in the hope for betterment in life. It could be said to represent the stark difference between good and evil.
Just as weeds can emerge from nowhere to create havoc or disruption in the personal efforts of a good person, who attempts to live in compliance with God’s wishes or laws, so, the weeds of evil only hope to oppose that which is attempted in righteousness. Darkness strives to overcome the light. God is fully aware of these difficulties in life and if we seek His help will endeavour to help us to overcome them. His ultimate goal will always be to achieve a bountiful harvest, even in the face of extreme adversity. Righteousness must always prevail over wickedness, which hopefully will be discarded into the furnace of life at the end of time. Matthew 13:40-43 continues: “Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Amen.
