Matthew 13:24-30 gives us a parable put forth by Jesus, who often taught in everyday illustrations to get his lesson across to those who chose to listen. Jesus said on several occasions that “He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15, Mark 4:9 & Revelation 2:7, 29) We all know we can hear something without understanding it. We have to focus and see what the speaker is saying behind the words, to understand the true meaning of the spoken or written words. (especially in the political circle today – Psalm 55:21)
“Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while 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 householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He said to them, `An enemy has done this.’ 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.'”
Weed sowing on purpose. Can you imagine such a thing in your garden?!
Planting, harvesting, and sorting the fruit of a garden from the bad, are activities that we can all relate to. We know that weeds can spoil and kill a good crop if they are not separated and pulled out. If we pull the weeds out in the wrong way and in the wrong time, we can cause damage to the good fruit.
Nature teaches us patience. We have to be mindful of the good fruit and how to minimize the damage by removing the bad weeds. Our Heavenly Father does the same with the growing and harvesting process of His world.
The Good Word, or Seed of God, planted in our hearts, brings forth life and characteristics of our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan uses people and things of this world to sow bad seeds or weeds in our hearts so that he can destroy the good seed of the Word of God.
Just think about how many attacks against the Bible are heard today compared to 50 and 100 years ago. As we have moved God out of the public square of our society, we have become more lawless and more immoral. We call what used to be bad good and what used to be good bad, with every man doing what is right in his own eyes. (Isaiah 5:20 & Judges 21:25)
Jesus says that in the end God will separate the good fruit from the bad, and each one will reap what he or she has sown. Evil will no longer be allowed to grow and flourish with the good. Good will no longer be hindered from their spiritual growth by the bad.
The important thing to ask yourself is, “Am I allowing the Good Seed of God’s Word to grow in my heart by seeking the Living Water and Sunshine of His Holy Spirit?”
We each need to ask our Lord to help us to allow His Word to take deep root in our hearts so that we can bear good fruit for His Kingdom now. Jesus calls us the ‘salt’ and ‘light’ of the world for a reason. If we remove the salt, there is no holding back the evil. If we remove the light, the darkness immediately covers all. If we intermingle with the bad seed of this world, our good fruit becomes damaged and corrupt.
