Heart

Heart

Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. . . . The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced.

Matthew 13:7, 22

Each spring, my husband and I order four or five flats of impatiens, our favorite flowering annual. We wait for a sunny Saturday in May, and then our family plants them on the north side of our home, where we enjoy them until the first freeze of November.

Looking over our impatiens early this July morning, I noticed that the plants weren’t thriving. As I bent down, I saw little clover-like weeds that had been winding their way around the flowers, hindering their growth. It was time to do some serious weeding. I know that weeding is necessary, but sometimes I get so busy with other things that I forget to do it.

As I pulled weeds today, I remembered an image Jesus used while teaching his disciples. He explained that weeds and thorns in our hearts choke out good things and pose a threat to righteous, fruitful living. I thought about my own heart. When I complain, I choke out contentment. When I worry, I choke out peace. When I judge, I choke out mercy. These weeds easily wind their way around my circumstances, and when they do, they hinder my growth and my effectiveness.

I’m grateful that God uses pictures of things I recognize—like weeds—to help me understand how he wants me to cultivate my heart. I’m grateful for the power of God’s Word which, when obeyed, yields a harvest of good things—not weeds.

Father,

May your Word live in our hearts. Through your power, may we triumph over things that would choke out your truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.