The Parable of the Wheat and Tares

^{The Parable of the Wheat and Tares aka The Parable of the Weeds}

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.’

As I was reading through the New Testament, I came across this parable. I found it very interesting in light of my last few months. Jesus seems to be comparing this field with a false belief system. There is some truth there, but some untruths, some harmful components. Wheat and weeds. Jesus seems to be saying that harm can be done if the weeds are pulled out before the crop is mature. 

I like to garden. There have been times when I have thought I should just leave the weeds in my garden. My crops will be stronger as they overcome the weeds and the harvest will be the same. When weeds are pulled, especially if they are as big or bigger than the crops, sometimes they take the crops out with them. However, if I leave the weeds, sometimes they kill the crops by becoming stronger and bigger, shading out my plants and stealing nutrients. Some weeds even look like the crops I want to keep, especially when they are small. When you pull the weeds, there is a risk to pulling out good crops, as they grow close together, sometimes even entangling themselves with one another. One might even come to think that the weed is necessary for the crop's survival.

When the weeds are removed, the crop is spindly and weak. We see the bare dirt and think of all we have lost. It takes time for the garden to recover, for the good plants to grow and flourish. We have to give them care and nourishment.They will recover, and when they do, they will be stronger than ever before.

In my life's garden, I would much rather pull my weeds out when I recognize them as such. I don't like to live with weeds in my life. Sometimes raw truth hurts. It can seem to turn the world upside down. I have been hurt by the truth, because it was not what I thought it was. It was disguised, but in the long run, truth does much more good than bad. 

It's much more difficult to know what to do when it comes to other people. Sometimes weeds masquerade as good crops. We can be fooled into thinking that weeds will bring forth good fruit. When somebody points out that our prize crop of thorns will never bring forth roses, will we be angry or grateful that we don't have to waste time any longer on things that are worthless? Between spending time on false crops and feeling the emptiness of bare ground when the weeds are removed, there can be a lot of pain associated with cleaning up a garden. When you see your friends and family spending time nurturing weeds while their true crops could be so much bigger and brighter, what do you do? Will they appreciate you telling them they are wrong, or will they just get angry and continue in their delusions?

I think in this parable, Jesus is telling us that many people are not ready to see the weeds for what they are. He is saying it will do harm to remove the weeds before the people tending them are ready to recognize them. I can see his point.

Yet, as my garden grows with a lot less weeds and masquerading crops in it, I can see the bare spots begin to fill in. I can see the beauty of my garden develop. I can take the time to examine new weeds and recognize old weeds for what they are and remove them from my garden. I want that for my loved ones, I want to tell them about the weeds I am learning about. I want them to be able to pull them from their gardens, too. Alas, it seems I have to be careful. I have to check to see I am not offending them. I have to make sure I don't suggest their prize thorn-bush will not bring forth the expected roses. As much as I hate watching them waste time nourishing their cherished weeds, I cannot remove the delusion from them. Chances are, if I tried, they would hate me and think me a liar. I have to wait until they start seeing their own weeds for what they are, before I can give them the hope I have, that it's ok to get rid of their weeds, and reassure them that they still have crops in there that will continue to grow and mature.