Weeds

It was sunny today, spring is arriving, flowers are blooming and weeds are thriving once more in my yard. My husband “gently” suggested that it would be so nice if I would pull some of those to make our yard look a little better. I needed the exercise, so of course I agreed.
About 10 minutes into this job, while the sun was beating down on me, my sweater came off and it became work. Times like this make you ask questions, at least it did me. God, why did you create weeds and especially why are they growing in my yard?

Quietly the thoughts started forming. Weeds come in many varieties, just stop and look around at what you see in your yard.

Okay, I stopped and looked. I walked around taking stock of what I saw in front of me. Some were huge and obvious. Some were flat and lying low just so I would miss them. I noted that some try to fake you out with pretty blossoms, you know like the variety your child firsts picks and brings to you as a cherished gift. Weeds have a way of just taking over and choking out everything else around them. I even had the type that snap and shoot seeds all over if you dare touch them. Then there are those with massive deep roots, and some that have shallow ones. Well it seems my yard had a wonderful variety today for me to consider.

I believe the Holy Spirit began to show me that these weeds I was grumbling about had a very valuable lesson for me if I would just listen. Where did these weeds come from? I know my neighbor’s yard is full of them, but I didn’t ask for them to share with me. How did they get so big, did someone fertilize them? Why do some have such pretty flowers? Why can’t I see those types as easy? How do I get rid of them?

A word was brought to my mind. Sin… can we ask the same questions? Where did that sin come from? Did I allow my neighbor or friend or another type of influence to draw me in? How did I ever let myself get this wrapped up in this and become so huge in my life? Is that one really so bad? How could I have been blind to that in my own life? How do I get rid of them?

I pulled on a big dandelion and the root broke off down in the hard dirt. Can’t I just leave that there? There are so many, what if I just get most of them would that be enough?  The answer came back quickly.

You know if you pull a weed and leave the root, it will come back. All you did was to take the visible part away so no one would notice. If you don’t deal with weeds and you let them go to seed, they will spread and take over your yard and maybe your neighbors too. If you want your garden to flourish you will tend it and at the first sign, remove the weed roots and all. It takes diligence on the part of the gardener to stay on top of it and to know how to get rid of each type of weed that finds a place to grow. You have to nurture the good plants to have a beautiful garden. Gardening is a constant job, but there are rewards in doing it well. Are you willing?

So it is with our lives. If we don’t get to the root of the sin and surrender that to our Heavenly Father, sin will grow and take over our lives. Only He can remove the root of the problem. We have to remain diligent when we see temptations and we must not allow them to grow into sin that will damage our souls. We can allow the Master Gardener to clean the rubbish out, and prune away the harmful areas and water and feed us. Only then will we grow into what He wants us to be, someone who produces good fruit that will bless others for God’s Glory.

Thank you Lord for a lesson from a weed.

Written by Claudia Scott