Sadly, I had neglected the weed-pulling for a while. The neglect, along with the recent rains meant that I had a jungle to work through. It took what seemed like forever to make the walkway navigable for anyone walking around to our yard. So long as I ignored the weeds, the path became more and more impassible. If I left them alone long enough they would completely overwhelm the path, it would become unusable and we would miss out on fruitful visits from friends and neighbors.
My weed-choked pathway brought to mind the Parable of the Sower. Jesus often used parables to teach people about the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 13 we read of a farmer who went out to sow his seed. One of the places the seeds fell was "among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." (NIV Matthew 13:7) He went on to say, "Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Mat. 13:8) Our hearts are the fertile soil. The things in our lives that distract from our walk with God and make us less fruitful are our weeds or thorns.
As I pulled weeds from between the stones on the path, marveling at the sheer volume of my waste pile, I felt God speaking into me about the weeds and thorns in my life. I didn't have to do anything in particular to make these weeds grow on the path. I hadn't intentionally placed weeds on the path. I had merely left the path alone, without tending, and the weeds had invaded and started to overtake the path, choking out its purpose.
Our lives are the same. We may feel like we lead pretty good lives, not exposing ourselves to bad influences, or pursuing paths that would lead us in the direction of things that go against the Kingdom. However, it doesn't take any action on our part for weeds and thorns to begin to grow. We live in a fallen world, which means that potentially corrupting influences are always present. Weeds begin to grow whether we want them to or not. It takes vigilance on our part to seek out the weeds and thorns and remove them. In short, we must tend our garden.
We need to keep an eye out for the weeds in our lives. Whether it is the little things throughout the day that add up to prevent us from spending time with God or bigger things that have a more recognizable negative influence on us or our relationship with God - we need to be watchful and diligent about tending our garden. We need to be purposeful in removing the weeds or thorns that, if left untended, could diminish the crop yield God intends from our lives.
What can you do to ensure your heart is good soil that produces an abundant harvest for God's Kingdom?
- Katrina
