Lesson of the Weeds

My thumb has never been green.  Neither do I enjoy digging around in dirt.  I do, however, love the beauty of blooming flowers in a bright array of colors.  I love nature.  I just wish it wasn’t so natury (yes, I am aware that is not a recognized word, but it fits).  Needless to say I, at times, am not as attentive to my flower beds as I should be.  This summer has been no different, and with it came a very hard lesson.

My eyes (thanks to the voice of my husband) were finally opened to the neglect and subsequent overflow of weeds.  So, the day dawned and I was determined to rid those beds of the pesky weeds trying to overtake my beautiful flowers.  I was feeling rather ambitious and had a whole list of tasks to be done.  The weeding was all that got done.

It didn’t take long to realize that my neglect has caused serious repercussions.  Instead of a few weeds that were easily pulled out, I had to use a hand shovel (I am sure there is a proper name for that tool, but it escapes me, furthering my point about my lack of skill).  The roots had grown so deep that I could not pull the weeds out, but rather had to dig under each one (and there were many), in order to extract them.  This was an exhausting project.

As I was part way through, lamenting having waited so long, a thought occurred to me.  Our lives have the same potential.  We encounter many “weeds” in life.  I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 which says, “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”.  We have all the tools we need (2 Peter 1:3), but we have to use them!  And whether it is harm that comes in the form of sinful desires, negative thoughts, poor attitudes or deceitful feelings, we need to take care of them right away.  How much easier to “nip them in the bud”, than to wait until they have taken root! 

So, let us continually cry out as David did, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)  And let’s pull out those weeds!