Living With Weeds

Living with Weeds

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-39, NLT

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ 28‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. 29‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” . . . 36His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.” 37Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.”

Setting the Scene

Jesus explained that the Kingdom grows quietly and abundantly, but evil still exists in the world. Jesus provided the meaning of this parable: Jesus, the “Son of Man,” is the farmer; the “field” is the world; the “good seed” symbolizes God’s people; the “weeds” are Satan’s people; the “enemy” is Satan; the “harvesters” are angels. A common practice in ancient warfare and feuds was to destroy the enemy’s agriculture. Thus, the presence of Satan’s people among the people of God would weaken them.

At first, the weeds and wheat are indistinguishable; eventually, however, the differences become obvious. At harvesttime, harvesters remove the weeds and get rid of them. The “weeds” may be people in the church who appear to be believers but who never truly believe. Later, the apostles would battle the problem of false teachers who had come from within the ranks of the believers (see, for example, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 13-22).

As new believers begin to mature in faith, their lives begin to reflect the Holy Spirit’s work, affecting values, perspectives, priorities, attitudes, and actions. Those who aren’t true followers of Christ, however, continue to reflect the values and attitudes of the world.

Eventually, the truth will be revealed, and God will judge and send each group to their right destination. For the “weeds,” those who “cause sin” and “do evil” (Matthew 13:41, NLT), that will be terrible. But “the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom” (Matthew 13:43, NLT).

Getting Personal

Jesus said we can tell a lot about people by their “fruit,” how they act and what they produce (Matthew 7:20). What “fruit” do you produce that shows you belong to Jesus?

How do your values, perspectives, attitudes, and actions differ from those who don’t know Christ?

God is the ultimate judge of who truly belongs to him. We should be slow to judge others, realizing people have different levels of spiritual maturity. Only God knows their hearts. Instead, we can lovingly share the gospel, teach, encourage, and confront and discipline, when necessary, leaving the final judgment to him.

Talking to God

Express your desire to bring all areas of your life—values, perspectives, attitudes, and actions—under God’s authority. Ask God to make you sensitive to areas that still need his healing and instruction.