The flower beds in my front yard look awful. On the long list of “things to do” around the house, they tend to be at the bottom and it shows. Yesterday, I decided to start working on cleaning them out.
I began pulling the weeds. The small weeds were easily pulled up and the roots came out of the ground without a fuss. I worked my way down the sidewalk, pulling weeds every step of the way. It was amazing how the weeds were taking over after a little rain. I had not realized it had gotten this bad. I hadn’t been paying close attention.
There was a weed that had sprouted up through one of my shrubs. I had to pull and pull to finally get it up. I wanted to make sure I got the roots and all so it wouldn’t grow back. The roots were huge on this particular weed. Another one had come up through an azalea and as I pulled it up, it ripped up some of the azalea too.
I sat there looking at my pile of weeds at my feet and couldn’t help but see a correlation to our lives. When we allow things that are not of God around us- television shows, books we read, conversations we shouldn’t be involved in, inappropriate jokes, unhealthy relationships, just to name a few-they tend to take root. Matthew 13:25 says “But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.”
The enemy is sly. He isn’t going to walk in with spotlights and a PA system to announce what he is doing. He is going to come in under the cover of night or when we aren’t paying attention. He will sow a little bad seed at a time and then once we realize it, it’s too late, the damage is done.
We need to be alert and aware the enemy is always on the prowl looking for someone to destroy [1 Peter 3:5]. His sole purpose is to destroy us and therefore grieve the heart of God [John 10:10].
I know once I put forth a little work and sweat equity, my flower beds will be beautiful. It won’t come without investing time and energy into it; however, the benefits will be worth it.
Are there weeds in your life that need to go? Ask the Father to help you search your heart and mind for anything that needs to be removed. He will gladly help you. He loves to plant good seed and watch it thrive.