Years ago, when I lived at L’Abri for a short time I was sent out into the garden and told to weed the carrot patch. For hours, I carefully made my way down the row pulling up all the weeds. Still today, in my own garden, the weeds must go. That’s what you do. Pull out those weeds. Right? No weeds allowed!

One day Jesus told his friends a story describing the kingdom of heaven as a farmer who planted a field with wheat and woke the next morning to find both weeds and wheat growing in it. When asked if the weeds should be pulled up Jesus replied, no just leave them growing for in the end it is God’s business to sort the weeds from the wheat not ours.

What. I can leave weeds growing?! I realized that from my perfectionist stream, I always want to pull out things within me or around me that seems to me to be weeds. What if I just name them as ‘weeds’ but then leave them with God to sort out in his time and way? What if…. How different that feels to me. Incredibly freeing.

I found a deep release within me towards myself and others. There are definitely parts of me that are ‘weedy’, and from my perspective I can usually spot weeds in others or in groups! Suddenly it’s no longer my business to weed the garden patch. For myself I can acknowledge the weedy bits, invite God’s Spirit to work and then, rest trusting God. For those around me, both individuals and groups, I can acknowledge what I see and then extend lovingkindness to them. It’s simply not my business to weed their garden. God will do the sorting, when the time is right. My job is to love, to extend lovingkindness and compassion to others, to hold them in God’s loving embrace. That is plenty for me to do.

Weeds and wheat, growing together everyday, everywhere.

I’m sure I’ll hear from someone that has a wild garden full of things we call weeds that they love…. But besides that – how do you deal with weeds in your life? Love and prayers

Anne

Community Leader Canada