January 20- Pulling Up Weeds

Genesis 41:17-42:17
Matthew 13:24-46
Psalm 18:1-15
Proverbs 4:1-6

Matthew 13: 24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 "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?' 28 " 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29 " 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 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.' "

Jesus didn't command us to dig up weeds. I guess he believed that we weren't good enough judges of character to know when some members should go, and when some should stay. In my life, I've seen quite a few people that I felt at one point or another "needed to go." Still, many times these people came back to surprise me, as they too had grown in Christ. The systematic eradication of members should never be part of the church's agenda. So, we leave the weed eating to the angels, and we do our job, planting the seed of the gospel!