It’s easy to identify people with broken bodies, but what about those with broken hearts?
Our children’s pastor, Anne, delivered our sermon on Sunday. Not being a regular pastor, she a had a ton of tiny nuggets to share on familiar scripture, from a new and fresh perspective. I enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share some of her insight here.
The sermon came from Matthew, Chapter 13 and it was on the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Jesus loved to tell stories with layers of meanings using metaphors that common people could understand. The snapshot is that a farmer planted good seed, but during the night his enemy came and planted weeds. When the plants began to grow, the workers couldn’t tell the wheat from the weeds, (the good from the bad). When they asked the farmer if they should pull the weeds, he told them no that it would be too easy to uproot the wheat as well. He said to let it all grow together until the harvest and it would be separated then.
Anne pointed out that we all have within us wheat and weeds. None of us are perfect. We all struggle with our own metaphorical weeds. But, sometimes we are not able to truly discern good from bad. For example, what if God put it in your heart to be angry about a situation so you could work on changing it? If you decided all anger is bad, you would have pulled wheat instead of a weed.
Likewise, if we know that we have a serious weed that we need to work on, we need to accept that we can’t pull it alone. We need to ask for God’s help. She said true change comes from our hearts with God’s help.
Anne said we must surrender our hearts to God first and then ask about the weeds. Jesus said that we weren’t just supposed to go around haphazardly pulling them.
Another layer that she discussed was the people around us. It’s easy to look around and call out the people who we see as weeds. You know the ones, the constant complainers, the ones who are always angry, or the people who are never satisfied. It’s very tempting to write them off. I mean, what are they doing to contribute to society or to the Kingdom of God?
It was in the next sentences that God revealed a personal weed to me. Anne said, what if these people just need someone to reach out to them and ask them what is going on in their lives? What if they are having marital problems, family problems, money problems, etc.. What if they are broken- spirited and broken- hearted?
Ouch! I really struggle with this. I am a very positive person, a glass half-full kind of gal. When I encounter super negative people, I just smile politely and walk away. Who needs that kind of negativity? Right? But, what if those people just need a positive person to listen to them and share encouraging words of love and grace? What if they need someone to pray for them? How will I know their need, if I avoid them like the plague?
I’m going to work on this particular weed. I’m thankful that Anne preached on Sunday and I’m thankful for her insight. Most of all, I’m thankful for a loving and patient God who is always at work in helping me get it right.
What about you? Are there any weeds you should work on? God is ready when you are.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂