To help us understand deeper truths, Jesus uses common illustrations. (Thank you, Jesus!) In the parable of the wheat and weeds, Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like agriculture. None of us have ever been to Heaven, but certainly each of us can understand the concept of sowing for the sole purpose of harvesting. No farmer sows without reaping as the culmination of his work. But in this case the farmer (Jesus) has an enemy (Satan) who sows weeds into the ground (world) to thrive amongst the wheat (we Christians). OK so far?
Our problem is that sometimes we grow impatient, living here among the weeds, and we want them pulled out of the world. However, even we can understand that wheat doesn’t do the sorting, that’s the Farmer’s role. Our role as wheat is to sink our roots even deeper into the center so that we can bear good fruit for harvest vs becoming weak and unproductive amongst the weeds (just more fuel for the eventual fire). And our goal is to be healthy examples of kindness, love and patience toward the weeds in sincere hope that they will be transformed as we were when we were saved by loving, patient grace while we were still sinning.
As we move to the Center of God’s Kingdom, let’s strive to be patient with Jesus and know for certain that He will reap at the perfect time. Let us also keep in the forefront of our thoughts that our enemy is not the weed. The enemy, as this parable clearly identifies, is the sower of the weeds.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. -Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT)
