Planting Seeds or Pulling Weeds

I reflected  as I drove on South Carolina’s back roads, heading home from my beautiful 86-year-old aunt’s funeral. My classy, elegant aunt had lived a life filled with serving the Lord and telling everyone she could about Jesus. It was such an uplifting service.

Only a few miles into my journey back to Charlotte from Georgetown, SC, I passed this profound message on the side of the dilapidated barn. Although in a hurry to get home, the Holy Spirit nudged me to turn around and take photos of the barn.

The urgent and it’s weedy, rusty surroundings seared in my memory. The sign says it all, even amidst the unkempt bushes and vines, and rusty tin roof.

Oh, how easily life and spheres of influence  can become “unkempt” if intentionality and care are not shown. How about our marriages, our family, our friendships, our coworkers? All those relationships can have weeds of problems grow up in the middle. It takes work to keep the weeds out, to water and fertilize the relationships.  Weeds can be dangerous, stunt growth, and even choke your yard and your relationships.

Telling people about Jesus is different, though. We are to plant seeds about Jesus and His love and salvation.  Pulling those “weeds” of non-believers is God’s job.  We are not to judge.

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared…’The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”

‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grown together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters; First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'” –Matthew 13:24-26, 28-30.

As we go about our days, may we tend to the gardens of our hearts with love and tender care, planting, fertilizing, watering, and even pulling weeds of  obstacles out of our relationships.  Keep planting seeds for Jesus, friend. He will harvest them in His time. May we all sense the urgency to tell others about Jesus before it’s too late.

Reflect:

To whom have you planted seeds about Jesus and His love recently?

How are you tending the gardens of your relationships and your heart?

Renew: 

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Respond:

What seeds will you plan to plant for Jesus this week?