WHEAT or WEED?

Let’s read Matthew 13:24-30 & Psalm 1:3-6 in tandem

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.”

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction”

First of all, let us look at the parable of the probable climax for the “wheat” and  the “weed” of the spiritual realm. Spiritually speaking, after being truly born again, you are humbled down to a seed of wheat. You are sown in the field (the world) as a “good seed”. That is how you become part of the righteous family of God. But that is not the end of it all. In fact it is just the beginning...!

God’s righteous family is not secluded from the world’s unrighteous family. “As it is we do not belong to the world” (John 15:19), but we are placed in this corrupt/sinful world with a purpose (which is to glorify our heavenly father by being His witnesses). Hence do not be surprised or frustrated if you notice any weeds (unrighteous people) around you. It is not our job to pluck the weeds out (judge and accuse the “bad” people around us). God waits till its harvest (judgement) time before He burns them, and that should boost our patience with them. 

The important thing is to make sure that you are growing as “wheat” and not as “weed”. Just the ability to differentiate between “weed” and “wheat” does not automatically make you “wheat”. What an ironical climax it would be if you spend all your life accusing the “weeds” around you without realising that you yourself were a “weed” and not “wheat”...!

Don’t be quick to judge/accuse/exterminate someone who you think is unrighteous; wait till its harvest!

CHILD was born – SON was given..!!

Let’s read Isaiah 9:6

“For unto us a CHILD is born, Unto us a SON is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”

Was JESUS born on Christmas day? YES. Was CHRIST born on Christmas day? NO. If you are startled by my answer to the second question, read the above scripture portion again – “Unto us JESUS is born, Unto us CHRIST is given..!”

Christ (the Son of God) was given to us in the form of JESUS (the Son of Man). That is the reason why “Christ Jesus” is referred to as “100% God and 100% Man”. 

The Apostle John described this phenomenon of “the ever-existent Christ” more vividly. John 1:1 – “In the beginning was CHRIST (the Word), and CHRIST (the Word) was with God, and Christ (the Word) was God. He (CHRIST) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him (CHRIST), and without Him (CHRIST) nothing was made that was made. In Him (CHRIST) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light (CHRIST) shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (HIM)”

Christmas is not merely a birthday of one of the many “man-made-gods”. It is the manifestation of ETERNAL LIFE (read 1 John 1:1-4) by the ever-existent, all powerful, one-and-only CHRIST through JESUS...!!

The EVERLASTING FATHER became a child; The MIGHTY GOD became a sacrificial lamb; The PRINCE OF PEACE bore the most painful death on the cross. And He did all of this to SAVE you and me from the perils of SIN and to gift us with ETERNAL LIFE...!!

CHRISTMAS is the only festival which is not about the festivities ATALL. CHRISTMAS is not about all the celebration but all about the celebrity (CHRIST) of the celebration...!

Celebrate the SON of God (CHRIST) who was given to us; Follow the SON of Man (JESUS) who was slain for us..!!

God’s weighs & our weighs..!

Let’s read Proverbs 16:2 & 1 Samuel 16:7b in tandem 

“All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord”

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”

God’s measuring/weighing scale is completely different to that of man. 

Man weighs the output more than the motive. God weighs the motive more than the output. 

The world can only recognise people’s achievements and never the intentions. From class grades at school to the highest civilian awards of a nation to the most famous international awards – all of them are based on what seems to be an OUTWARD ACHIEVEMENT. Did anyone ever get awarded for their unpractised good intentions? NO. People always get recognised only for their outward WORKS.

But God’s award & reward system works in exactly the opposite way. While people look at what you have or have not achieved, He looks at your heart. If you get carried away by the world’s award & reward system, you may never understand God’s ways in your life. 

Read Daniel chapter 1 – “..Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way”(vs8). Daniel’s view was not worldly. He did not get carried away by the outer appearance and appeal of the royal food and wine. His motive was to glorify God by not defiling himself with the ways of the world. God looked at Daniel’s heart and honoured his motive. “..At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food...”(vs15)

Does it mean that “motives” alone make us obedient children of God? Absolutely NOT. “...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17) Notice that Daniel put his motive to action by taking the ten day test of not eating the royal food and succeeded in doing so by God’s empowerment...!

Study the WORD to understand God’s heart; Understand God’s heart to have motives which are in accordance with God’s..!

Bearing FRUIT vs Blabbering about it..!!

Let’s read Luke 6:44 & Psalm 40:10 in tandem

“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes or grapes from briers”

“I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart; I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your loving-kindness and your truth from the great assembly”

Is it possible to ever come across a mango tree that just talks about how good and tasty its fruit can be but never bears any? Is it possible to ever come across a man who just talks about how righteous one should be without ever showing the same through his life? The answer to the first question is a definite “No” but the answer to the later one is a bold “YES”.

A thornbush is similar to a person who likes to accuse/judge (constantly poke) others through his/her sharp and hurtful words. Such people can never bear FRUIT.

A brier is also a thorny plant that bears nice and attractive wild flowers. This is similar to a person who not only accuses/judges others through his/her sharp and hurtful words but also uses flattery (false praise) for self benefit. “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18).

 

Whose “recognition” are you seeking? Of men or of God? If you want God to recognise you as a FRUIT bearing tree then stop blabbering and start bearing..!

What FRUIT is this?? This is a Spiritual FRUIT.

“The FRUIT of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE” (Galatians 5:22-23)

True FRUIT can never be hidden because it is meant only for self-less SHARING and never for selfish SAVING..!

Be RICH – in giving..!!

Let’s read 1 Timothy 6:17, 18 & Luke 6:38 in tandem

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share”

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”

Mother Teresa once said “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love”. It is said that she had only Five Rupees when she first started her mission in Kolkata. She gave all that she had to the needy. She dedicated her whole life in response to the call from above. 

She was certainly RICH- in good deeds, in always being generous and in always willing to share what she had with the needy. The more she gave, the more she received (to give more). She endeavoured to provide basic necessities (food, shelter and clothing) to the poor and needy and was hugely successful in doing so for decades. But, her true motivation and strength to do what she did came from God alone. 

She only passed on the LOVE she received from God. She exercised this LOVE through charity and care. The more she LOVED others, the more she experienced the overwhelming AGAPE (divine) LOVE. So much so that this LOVE melted her hurt into PEACE..!!

For God so LOVED you and me that He gave his BEST (Jesus Christ) to us. Are you seeking to pass this LOVE onto others to glorify God by imitating Him??