We stood at a bedroom window, looking out at the vegetable
garden beyond. In the foreground, between the blackcurrant bush and the plum
tree, weeds abound. Some are long grasses, but others are the type which poke a
yellow flower skyward, which then matures into feathery white fluff, similar to
a dandelion flower.
We agreed: every day each one of us looks out that window
and thinks, ‘I’ve got to get out there and yank those weeds out.’
Yesterday, though, as we voiced that thought to each other,
suddenly a glorious goldfinch landed lightly on a golden twig of weed, and
began feeding on the seeds inside those feathery pods, discarding the gossamer
down this way and that.
Oh, we agreed, surprised and delighted that our neglectful
gardening resulted in a meal for a beautiful bird. The weeds will stay.
As a Christian, I try to live as Jesus lived, observant,
responsive, compassionate and generous. I don’t always succeed. There are weeds
in my patch, I know.
But I am thinking of the advice Jesus gave in one of his
parables, to leave the weeds among the tares lest in yanking out the bad ones,
the good ones came out inadvertently.
I am not saying we should leave our sins to flower and not
examine ourselves daily with the Holy Spirit so that we can repent and cease to
sin in that way. But perhaps instead of beating ourselves up over those
besetting sins that just keep sprouting, we might entrust them to Jesus to turn
them into a meal that will feed the faith of someone else.
‘All things work to good for those who love God.’
Today I offer myself, the whole garden, weeds and all, to
the One who can bring beauty out of ashes.
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