Weeds and Wheat

The Gospel is Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

We explore another of Jesus’ parables this week. 

Humans may tend to be compulsive weed-pullers—we want to pull out and get rid of whatever we don’t like. But, as in the parable, “wheat” and “weeds” often are indistinguishable. 

Trying to pull up what we think are “weeds” may harm the whole, and this distracts us from positive activities including serving Christ in one another. He does not tell us to “pull up the weeds,” but rather to love one another.

One of the lessons we can learn from today’s parable is that many of the issues and questions of our lives are complicated, difficult and unclear. It’s not so easy for us to distinguish “true wheat” from “false wheat.” Indeed, our perspective on this may change as we mature.

Jesus Himself didn’t weed out all the “weeds” among those with whom he associated. Many of His close disciples exhibited weed-like behavior, and he did not pull these weeds. And how fortunate for us that Jesus does not pull out the weeds among us, for who among us is pure? 

Let what appears to be wheat, and what appears to be weeds, grow together. The world, if we were to be spiritually honest, isn’t clearcut, even (and especially) in our own lives. There are ambiguities, uncertainties, and plenty of “both/and.” Paradox is rife in reality, requiring us to walk in darkness and in trust, in faith.

We must start with a “yes” of basic acceptance, letting and forgiving, to allow for God and Grace.

God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. We don’t have to be bright, pure, or filled with anything. Not only are we save by Grace, we live by it as well.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.