Weeds, Calories, Sin and Bills: The Struggle is Real

  “Cursed is the ground because of you through 

painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 

It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you will 

eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you 

will eat your food until you return to the ground "

                                                        (Genesis 3:16b-18 NIV)

                                                                                         

                         Every evening at watering time, I see them. They poke their evil little heads out from my flowers beds, between my rock walls, and in any crevice they can find. I pull them, spray them, stomp on them and dig them out by the roots, but no matter how diligent I am, those weed seeds find a way to take root. I once had a friend tell me "sin, weeds, dirt and bills, you will fight them tell the day you die". She was right!

A month ago I planted another little patch of wild flower. I watered diligently as my baby plants began to grow, but low and behold the seeds were mostly weeds. I had received a bad batch. In order to spare the actual flowers I had to wait until they were big enough to tell the difference. It was TORTURE!

It took me hours of careful digging to separate the weeds from actual wild flowers.

In the book of Matthew Jesus teaches this principle as He explains the Kingdom of Heaven to his disciples.

Matthew 13:24-30
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Although God calls us to be "fruit inspectors" as we choose our close friends and associates, we are also reminded not to judge the hearts of others. Romans 12:3 reminds us to regard ourselves with "sober judgement", to serves others (Phil. 2) and to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We are to shine like a light in the world and draw others to Christ by our love and kindness. That doesn't mean approving of evil, but any word of truth should always be motivated with love to edify the listener (am extremely difficult task in my estimation Ephesians 4:29).

Speaking should be done less and, prayerfully, listening should be done more. Proverbs 17:28

I grow weary of pulling weeds but when I do I am reminded to keep an eternal perspective. Do not grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9). It can be hard to tell weeds from flowers at time, but thankfully God knows. I am called to water, abide, and keep my roots pushing deep into the love of God, and push my petals toward His light. The rest is up to Him. He will do the separating in His time. I

Plants that Repel Weeds:

Some flowers repel weeds by forming a thick ground cover that keeps sunlight from getting to the weeds and suffocating them. A few of them are:

Creeping Flox

Creeping Thyme

Cranesbill Geranium

Sedum

Sweet Woodruff

 Hope Wirta