One of the greatest challenges that a farmer faces as he attends to his field is dealing with weeds. Almost immediately after he has sown the seed and the seed sprouts, weeds will also come out. If he is not fast enough to remove the weeds as they come out, these will grow to a point where it will be difficult for the farmer to uproot them. In such a case, how should the farmer deal with the problem? In the Parable of the Weeds, we are told that the weeds should not be pulled up, because the good ones may be rooted up with them. In this parable, the man who sowed the good seed said, “Let both grow 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” (Matt. 13:30). Jesus used this parable to highlight the fact that there will be “weeds” or wicked people around that we have to deal with every day.
In his Prayer to the Father, the Lord Jesus said, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:15-16). Again, the Lord Jesus acknowledges that we are, and will be, living side by side with the people of the world until the day of judgement. It is not up to us to isolate ourselves from the world. We have to learn to live in the world without being influenced by the wickedness that abounds in it. Indeed, we are responsible for how we live our lives. Unless we are able to insulate ourselves from the evil influences of wicked people around us, we will one day find ourselves fully engaged in the same wickedness that we originally abhorred.
In the parable, when the servants of the man who sowed the good seed asked him where the weeds came from, he responded, “An enemy did this” (Matt. 13:28). But how was the enemy able to sow the weeds? We are told that the enemy did it while everyone was asleep. This gives us an idea of how the enemy can outmaneuver believers. He comes to attack when believers are the most vulnerable. This truth was clearly pointed out by the Lord Jesus Christ when he rebuked his disciples who were supposed to be spending time in prayer with him. He said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:40-41). Unless we are watchful, we can fall into the hands of the enemy because he comes as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He can even deceive us into believing that we are still in the faith when, by our words and actions, we are no longer projecting the life that the Lord demands from us. To those who have the illusion that they are saved when they are not, the Lord Jesus has this to say to them, “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).
In order to avoid being influenced by the “weeds” that grow alongside us, the apostle Peter admonished us saying, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). To resist is to flee from the presence of the devil. One of his schemes is to make himself familiar with believers by constantly being around until he is accepted. Therefore, we should determine not to have anything to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. The moment that sin comes, we should immediately uproot it so that it will not grow to a point where it will be difficult to remove without us being seriously affected. Indeed, if we let the weeds continue to grow in us, even the good part of us will be in jeopardy. We need to repent and do away with that which tries to choke the good that is in us. Let us always remember that the reason the Lord wants the weeds to be left alone is because he is patient. He does not want any of us to perish but that we should all come to repentance. While we still have the opportunity, let us repent and be saved on the day of judgement. Praise the Lord for his unfailing love!
