Moving to southwest Florida has put my gardening skills back to the beginning on the learning curve. I knew a lot about annuals and perennials when I lived in the north, but since moving to the sub-tropics my green thumb has turned a pale shade of yellow. Recently, I caught site of a lovely lavender bloom spreading like a blanket across the backyard. It was pretty to look at, but I soon found out it was deadly to a healthy green lawn. PUSLEY! Even its name causes me to feel queasy. It is an aggressive creeper and will take over turf grass areas.
One way to rid the lawn of the pesky weed is to spray it with chemicals. Only problem with that is it kills the healthy grass also. Another way is to pluck it out one by one. That does not fix the problem because the root system spreads and invades elsewhere. I’m resigned to the reality that Pusley is a difficult and invasive foliage that I will just have to live with as long as I live in southwest Florida.
My weed dilemma reminds me of a parable of Jesus recorded in Matthew 12:24-30: 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 owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “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 uproot the wheat with them. 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.’ ”
We live in an age where the green grass of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is constantly under invasion by the weeds of false teachers and heretical teachings. Often these enemies go undetected because they are attractive and the “theology” is easy on the ears. Unsuspecting believers can be deceived, while unbelievers trust in a false sense of eternal security. Jesus warned that the problem will not be solved until His return. Our only defense is to remain rooted in the Word of God. Our only offense is to lovingly uphold the truth of Scripture to those who are entangled in the weeds of the enemy.
As I look out at my weed-infested lawn, I can smile at the future. There will be no weeds in the Kingdom of God. There will be no enemy. There will be no need to spray chemicals.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Matthew 13:43
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