Love The Weeds

“Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.  His disciples approached him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’  He said in reply, ‘He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil” (Matthew 13:36-43).   I’m not so sure.

Weeds are the plants that don’t fit in.  They ruin the flower planting or crowd out the useful crops.  At least that’s how we see it, and then we go to pull the weeds or give them a good dose of weed-killer.  Such is the fate of weeds.

Then again, when comparing people to weeds and calling them children of the devil, don’t we cast judgment on those who need compassion, understanding, and a dose of love, not dislike or even hate? 

I understand this parable, and it’s a good one.   However, I wager people become “weeds” when they are denied love.  We’re not born or “sown” as weed seeds.   The Devil has nothing to do with the sowing.  It’s more about how we are raised by our parents and how we are influenced by those around us.

And let’s not forget that weeds still bear flowers to reveal the beauty of God.   Consider the dandelion with its yellow flower that quickly transforms into a beautiful, symmetrical bouquet of seeds.  Devil’s work?   To a gardener or lawn-keeper, perhaps.   More likely just another example of God’s creativity and ingenuity.

Deacon David Pierce