Gorgeous Weeds
By Susan Klein
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)
Driving down the highway,
I was struck by a tall vibrant yellow blossom in a field. It was absolutely
stunning as it towered above the fading greens and browns of autumn. Returning
from my errand, I watched for it again as I neared the same spot. There it
was…so majestic as it rose a few feet above the other foliage! Gorgeous as it
was, it was still a weed. And the roots below the surface can choke out other
plants and take over good ground.
Like the deceptive
beauty of the weed in the field, we need to beware of another kind of weed. In
Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable about this. The weeds in this story
represent the sons of the evil one. They may take on visually appealing appearance,
but their harmful intent is to infiltrate the good plants/the children of God
and seek to destroy them. They receive the same rain, sunshine and soil as the
rest of the plants, so at first they might go unnoticed. But, as time passes,
their differences become evident to the stronger plants, though many of the
weaker plants may suffer great harm.
Jude warns us (vs.12)
that these weeds will even slip into our worship places unbeknownst to us. They
may tout a good message, be very charismatic and charming, but their intent is
not to glorify God. “They are godless men, who change the grace of God into a
license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ.” (vs. 4) Jude wrote a strong
warning to the church body back then, and its message is still relevant today.
We, as the body of
Christ, need to be prayerfully discerning about what we see, and hear, and are
exposed to. Some messages may sound appealing at first, but have hidden lies
below the surface. If we are not strong and healthy plants, we could fall prey
to some choking by these weeds.
As the time nears
for our Lord to return, this activity will only increase. Jude exhorts, “In the
last times, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not
have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourself up in your most holy
faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
GOING
DEEPER:
What condition are your roots in?
Are they strong enough to help you stand firm against the weeds?
FURTHER
READING:
Susan
is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor
to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work
through conflict.
